Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 21 No 3 (2017): 659 - 668

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17576/mjas-2017-2103-15

 

 

 

POLY(EUGENOL SULFONATE) - SULFONATED POLYETHERIMIDE NEW BLENDS MEMBRANE PROMISING FOR DIRECT METHANOL FUEL CELL

 

(Membran Campuran daripada Poli(Eugenol Sulfonat) dan Polieterimida Sulfonat yang Menjanjikan untuk Sel Bahan Api Metanol Langsung)

 

Eka Cahya Muliawati^1,2, Mardi Santoso², Ahmad Fauzi Ismail^1,3, Juhana Jaafar^1,3, Mohd. Taufiq Salleh^1,3,

 Silvana Dwi Nurherdiana², Nurul Widiastuti²*

 

¹Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre (AMTEC),

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Skudai, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia

²Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences,

Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, Surabaya, Indonesia

³Faculty of Petroleum and Renewable Energy Engineering,

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM Skudai, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia

 

*Corresponding author: nurul_widiastuti@chem.its.ac.id

 

 

Received: 26 August 2016; Accepted: 8 January 2017

 

 

Abstract

A new polymeric membrane blended from sulfonated polyetherimide (SPEI) and poly(eugenol sulfonate) (PES) was prepared as proton exchange membrane (PEM) for direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC). The membrane was characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM). Ion exchange capacity (IEC), proton conductivity, methanol barrier, water uptake, water contact angle and mechanical strength of the membrane was also being determined. The new PES/SPEI membrane with 3 wt.% PES and 20 wt.% SPEI show higher IEC, water uptake, proton conductivity and methanol barrier properties as compared to Nafion 117 membrane. As a conclusion, the results indicate that the SPEI/PES membrane has potential to be employed as PEM for DMFC application.

 

Keywords:  sulfonated polyetherimide, poly(eugenol sulfonate), blend membrane, direct methanol fuel cell

 

Abstrak

Membran polimer baru diperbuat daripada campuran polieterimida sulfonat (SPEI) dan poli(eugenol sulfonat) (PES) telah disediakan sebagai membran pertukaran proton (PEM) untuk sel bahan api metanol langsung (DMFC). Membran ini telah dianalisis menggunakan Spektroskopi Inframerah Transformasi Fourier (FTIR), analisis termogravimetri (TGA) dan Mikroskop Imbasan Elektron (SEM). Sifat membran seperti kapasiti pertukaran ion (IEC), kekonduksian proton, halangan metanol, penyerapan air, sudut sentuhan air dan kekuatan mekanikal juga telah ditentukan. Membran baru PES/SPEI dengan 3 wt.% PES dan 20 wt.% SPEI telah menunjukkan nilai IEC, pengambilan air, kekonduksian proton dan halangan metanol yang lebih tinggi berbanding membran Nafion 117. Sebagai kesimpulan, hasil kajian menunjukkan bahawa membran SPEI/PES mempunyai potensi untuk digunapakai sebagai PEM untuk aplikasi DMFC.

 

Kata kunci:  polieterimida sulfonat, poli(eugenol sulfonat), membran campuran, sel bahan api metanol langsung

 

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