MXene potassium titanate nanowire/sulfonated polyether ether ketone (SPEEK) hybrid composite proton exchange membrane for photocatalytic water splitting

A cross-linked sulfonated polyether ether ketone (C-SPEEK) was incorporated with MXene/potassium titanate nanowire (MKT-NW) as a filler and applied as a proton exchange membrane for photocatalytic water splitting. The prepared hybrid composite PEM had proton conductivity of 0.0097 S cm(-1) at room temperature with an ion exchange capacity of 1.88 meq g(-1). The hybrid composite proton exchange membrane is a reactive membrane which was able to generate hydrogen gas under UV light irradiation. The efficiency of hydrogen gas production was 0.185066 mu mol within 5 h for 12% wt of MKT-NW loading. The results indicated that the MKT-NW/C-SPEEK membrane is a promising candidate for ion exchange with hydrogen gas evolution in photocatalytic water splitting and could be applied as a renewable source of energy to use in various fields of applications.

Automated summary

The hybrid composite C-SPEEK proton exchange membrane exhibits good proton conductivity and ion exchange capacity at room temperature, and is capable of generating hydrogen gas under UV light irradiation. By incorporating MKT-NW nanowires, the efficiency of hydrogen gas production can be improved, making it a promising candidate for renewable energy applications in photocatalytic water splitting.