Proton Conducting Nanocomposite Membranes Based on Poly Vinyl Alcohol (PVA)/Glutaraldehyde (GA) for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

In the present work, BaCe0.85Yb0.15O3-delta mixed metal oxide nanoparticles supplying strong acid sites and good hydrophilic nature were used for the first time to build organic-inorganic proton exchange membranes. Poly(vinyl alcohol) - BaCe0.85Yb0.15O3-delta (PVAYb) nanocomposite membranes were fabricated. Different analyses such as Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and ThermoGravimetry Analysis (TGA) were used to characterize and study the structural properties of the obtained membranes. SEM and EDX analyses exhibited a homogenous dispersion of the nanoparticles in the nanocomposite membrane. It was found that PVAYb(1.5) had a better elemental distribution compared to PVAYb(2.5) composite membrane. PVAYb nanocomposite membrane containing 1.5 wt.% of BaCe0.85Yb0.15O3-delta nanoparticles displayed a high proton conductivity value (64 mS/cm) at 70 degrees C operation temperature. The peak power density of 29 mW/cm(2) was obtained with a peak current density of 210 mA / cm(2) for as-prepared Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) equipped with PPYb1.5 nanocomposite membrane at 70 degrees C.

Automated summary

In this study, BaCe0.85Yb0.15O3-delta mixed metal oxide nanoparticles were used to create PVAYb nanocomposite membranes for the first time, showing high proton conductivity. Characterization using SEM, EDX, FT-IR, and TGA revealed a homogenous dispersion of nanoparticles in the membrane, with PVAYb(1.5) having a better elemental distribution compared to PVAYb(2.5). The PVAYb nanocomposite membrane with 1.5 wt.% BaCe0.85Yb0.15O3-delta nanoparticles exhibited a peak power density of 29 mW/cm(2) and peak current density of 210 mA/cm(2) in a PEMFC at 70 degrees C.