Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 21 No 3 (2017): 675 - 689

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17576/mjas-2017-2103-17

 

 

 

CORRELATION BETWEEN PROTON CONDUCTIVITY, HYDROPHILICITY, AND THERMAL STABILITY OF CHITOSAN/MONTMORILLONITE COMPOSITE

MEMBRANE MODIFIED GPTMS AND THEIR PERFORMANCE IN DIRECT METHANOL FUEL CELL

 

(Hubungan antara Kekonduksian Proton, Sifat Hidrofil dan Kestabilan Termal atas Membran Komposit Kitosan/Montmorillonit dengan Modifikasi GPTMS dan Prestasinya dalam Sel Bahan Api Metanol Langsung)

 

Mochammad Purwanto^1,2, Lukman Atmaja²*, M.T. Salleh¹, Mohamad Azuwa Mohamed¹, Juhana Jaafar¹, Ahmad Fauzi Ismail¹, Mardi Santoso², Nurul Widiastuti²

 

¹Advanced Membrane Technology (AMTEC) Research Centre,

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

²Department of Chemistry,

 Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, ITS Sukolilo, Surabaya 60111, Indonesia

 

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

 

 

Received: 26 August 2016; Accepted: 8 January 2017

 

 

Abstract

Chitosan based inorganic hybrid membrane is a promising organic–inorganic hybrids for the development of high performance proton exchange membrane (PEM). The immobilization of modified montmorillonite (MMT) using GPTMS within chitosan matrix would possess superior physicochemical characteristics due to more hydrogen bonding formation introduced by GPTMS. Therefore, higher number hydrogen bond formation can be expected in Ch/MMT-GPTMS membrane rather than in pure Ch membrane. A fully hydrated membrane at elevated temperatures is desirable for efficient proton conduction in the membranes. It remains a critical challenge to maintain proper hydration of the membranes for the operation of the direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC). The microstructure obtained by SEM for composites showed that filler was successfully incorporated and relatively well dispersed in the chitosan polymer matrix. The role of surface modification of MMT filler by GPTMS have  increase the functional group that can form hydrogen bonding which suitable for interaction with water. High water uptake is favourable for high performance PEM to facilitate great numbers of protons hopping and diffusion through the membrane. In addition, greater hydrogen bonding formation would lead to the tighter packing of composite membrane, resulting in higher bonding strength and higher thermal resistance. The Ch/MMT-GPTMS composite membrane with 5 wt% filler loading exhibited the best proton conductivity are 4.66 mScm^-1, with water contact angle value of 64.73^o. A maximum power density of 0.24 mWcm^-2 was obtained with a 2M methanol feed. The relationship of water contact angle, water upake, membrane swelling, thermal stability, and proton conductivity shown suitable trend, it means that all quality of them are related to the hydrophilicity properties.

 

Keywords:  chitosan, montmorillonite, (3-glycidoxypropyl) trimethoxysilane, direct methanol fuel cel

 

Abstrak

Kitosan berasaskan membran hibrid tak organik ialah kacukan organik-tak organik yang menjanjikan pembangunan pertukaran proton membran berprestasi tinggi (PEM). Montmorillonit (MMT) pegun diubahsuai menggunakan GPTMS dalam matriks kitosan akan mempunyai ciri-ciri fiziko-kimia unggul kerana lebih pembentukan ikatan hidrogen yang diperkenalkan oleh GPTMS. Oleh itu, pembentukan jumlah ikatan hidrogen yang lebih tinggi boleh dijangka pada membran Ch/MMT-GPTMS bukannya pada membran Ch tulen. Setiap membran terhidrat sepenuhnya pada suhu tinggi adalah diperlukan untuk pengaliran proton cekap dalam membran. Ia kekal sebagai cabaran kritikal untuk mengekalkan penghidratan membran untuk operasi sel bahan api metanol langsung (DMFC). Mikrostruktur diperolehi melalui SEM untuk komposit menunjukkan bahawa pengisi telah berjaya digabungkan dan tersebar di dalam matriks polimer kitosan. Peranan pengubahsuaian permukaan MMT pengisi oleh GPTMS telah meningkatkan kumpulan berfungsi yang boleh membentuk ikatan hidrogen yang sesuai untuk berinteraksi dengan air. Pengambilan air yang tinggi adalah baik untuk PEM yang berprestasi tinggi bagi membantu proton bergerak dan penyebaran melalui membran. Di samping itu, pembentukan ikatan hidrogen yang lebih besar akan membawa kepada pembungkusan membran komposit yang lebih ketat, menyebabkan kekuatan ikatan dan rintangan haba yang lebih tinggi. Membran komposit Ch/MMT-GPTMS dengan 5% berat pengisi mewujudkan kekonduksian proton terbaik iaitu 4.66 mScm^-1, dengan nilai sudut sentuhan air ialah 64.73^o. Ketumpatan kuasa maksimum ialah 0.24 mWcm^-2 telah diperolehi dengan suapan 2M metanol. Hubungan sudut sentuhan air, serapan air, pengembangan membran, kestabilan haba, dan kekonduksian proton menunjukkan corak yang sesuai, ia bermaksud semua kualiti yang terhasil adalah berkaitan sifat hidrofilik.

 

Kata kunci:  kitosan, montmorillonit, (3-glisidoksipropil) trimetoksisilana, sel bahan api metanol langsung

 

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