Enhanced properties of SPEEK with incorporating of PFSA and barium strontium titanate nanoparticles for application in DMFCs

Novel blend nanocomposite proton-exchange membranes were prepared using sulfonated poly (ether ether ketone) (SPEEK), perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA), and Ba0.9Sr0.1TiO3 (BST) doped-perovskite nanoparticles. The membranes were evaluated by attenuated total reflection, X-ray diffraction spectroscopy, water uptake, proton conductivity, methanol permeability, and direct methanol fuel cell test. The effect of two additives, PFSA and BST, were investigated. Results indicated that both proton conductivity and methanol barrier of the blend nanocomposite membranes improved compared with pristine SPEEK and the as-prepared blend membranes. The methanol permeability and the proton conductivity of the blend membrane containing 6 wt% BST obtained 3.56 x 10(-7) cm(2) s(-1) (at 25 degrees C) and 0.110 S cm(-1) (at 80 degrees C), respectively. The power density value for the optimum blend nanocomposite membrane (15 wt% PFSA and 6 wt% BST) (54.89 mW cm(-2)) was higher than that of pristine SPEEK (31.34 mW cm(-2)) and SPF15 blend membrane (36.12 mW cm(-2)).