Study of the PVA/TiO2 composite polymer electrolyte membrane and its application to alkaline direct methanol fuel cell(DMFC)

• Main Authors: Che-Tseng Lin, 林哲增
• Other Authors: Chun-Chen Yang
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2008
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/16862732941026785524

碩士 === 明志科技大學 === 化工與材料工程研究所 === 96 === A novel polyvinyl alcohol/ titanium dioxide (PVA/TiO2) composite polymer membrane was prepared by the blend process and solution casting method. Glutaraldehyde (GA) was used as a crosslinker for the composite polymer membrane in order to enhance the chemical, thermal and mechanical stabilities and to reduce the swelling ratio. Various analysis techniques were used to characterize the composite polymer membrane structure, the physical and thermal properties, the ionic conductivity as well as methanol permeability of the as-prepared membranes.The characteristic properties of the PVA/TiO2 composite polymer membranes were examined by thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), micro-Raman spectroscopy and AC impedance method. The PVA/TiO2(CBT) membrane showed highest ion conductivity of 2.01×10-2 S cm-1 among the PVA/TiO2 composite polymer membranes at 30℃. The methanol permeability of the PVA/TiO2(CBT) composite polymer membrane was about 6.17×10-7cm2 s-1, which was less than that of the Nafion 117 membrane (3.48×10-6cm2 s-1). Alkaline DMFC, consisting of an air cathode electrode with MnO2 carbon inks, a home-made anode electrode (3.05 mg cm-2 PtRu black coated on 3 layers Ti screen) and the PVA/TiO2 composite polymer membrane, was assembled and investigated. It was found that the peak power density of alkaline DMFC comprised of a novel cheap PVA/TiO2 composite polymer membrane was 13.58 mW cm-2 at ambient temperature and pressure.