Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 21 No 2 (2017): 435 - 444

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17576/mjas-2017-2102-19

 

 

 

METHANOL PERMEABILITY AND PROPERTIES OF POLYMER ELECTROLYTE MEMBRANE BASED ON GRAPHENE OXIDE- SULFONATED (POLYETHER ETHER) KETONE

 

(Kebolehtelapan Metanol dan Sifat-Sifat Membran Polimer Elektrolit Berasaskan Grafin Oksida-Polieter Eter Keton Tersulfon)

 

Nuor Sariyan Suhaimin¹, Madzlan Aziz^1,2*, Juhana Jaafar²

 

¹Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science

 ²Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai, Johor, Malaysia

 

*Corresponding author: madzlan@utm.my

 

 

Received: 26 August 2016; Accepted: 8 January 2017

 

 

Abstract

Graphene oxide sulfonated polyether ether ketone (GO-SPEEK) is a promising proton exchange membrane (PEM) to replace the commercial PEM in Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC) application. The GO films were prepared from natural graphite flakes by the modified Hummer’s Method. The structure and physicochemical characterization techniques were applied to impart insight into the specific structure, element composition as well as the functional groups by using Attenuated Total Reflection infrared spectroscopy (ATR), X-Ray diffraction (XRD), and Raman Spectroscopy. The incorporation of graphene oxide in SPEEK not only improved membrane behaviors of PEM in terms of ion exchange capacity (1.231 mequiv.g^-1), water uptake (53.45%) and proton conductivity (0.0537), but also positively blocking of methanol molecules passing through membrane, thus making them appealing as proton exchange membranes (PEMs).

 

Keywords:  graphene oxide, sulfonated polyether ether ketone, proton exchange membrane, X-ray diffraction

 

Abstrak

Grafin oksida sulfona polieter eter keton (GO-SPEEK) merupakan proton pertukaran membran (PEM) yang menjanjikan  pengantian PEM komersial dalam aplikasi sel bahan api metanol langsung (DMFC). Filem GO dihasilkan daripada grafit semulajadi menggunakan kaedah Hummer diubahsuai. Teknik – teknik pencirian struktur fizikal dan kimia telah digunakan untuk mendapatkan maklumat tentang struktur spesifik, komposisi elemen dan juga kumpulan berfungsi dengan menggunakan ATR spektroskopi inframerah, pembelauan sinar-X (XRD), dan spektroskopi Raman. Penambahan grafin oksida kedalam sulfona poli (eter eter keton) bukan sahaja meningkatkan prestasi PEM dari aspek kapasiti pertukaran ion (1.231 mequiv.g^-1), pengambilan air (53.45%) dan kekonduksian proton (0.0537), tetapi juga mampu untuk menahan molekul metanol dari merentasi membran, sekaligus menjadikannya sangat sesuai sebagai PEM.

 

Kata kunci:  grafin oksida, polieter eter keton tersulfon, proton pertukaran membran, pembelauan sinar-X

 

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