Sulphonated PEEK-Tectona grandis based Composite Membranes for PEM Fuelcells

Abstract

Sulphonated Poly Ether Ether Ketone (SPEEK) – Tectona grandis (TG) composite membranes have been prepared by varying TG from 0%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4% and 5% while varying polymer content 100%, 99%, 98%, 97%, 96% and 95% by solution casting technique at 80oC environment. The obtained films were subjected to Ion Exchange Capacity (IEC), Water Absorption (WA), Chemical Stability (CS), Protonic Conductivity (PC) with view to understand the compatibility for their utility in PEMFuelcell application. TG5(SPEEK 95wt% + AI 5wt%) has maximum IEC, WA, conductivity and minimum CS compared to pure SPEEK. This may be reasoned that maximum WA accounted for IEC only propel for enhanced protonic transport mechanism. The FTIR studies confirms the Sulphonation of PEEK and complexation of SPEEK with TG. SEM shows the surface morphology of pure SPEEK and SPEEK/TG composite membranes, It is observed that beyond 5 weight% dispersion in SPEEK matrix, no free standing membrane is obtained may be due to immiscibility of TG with SPEEK. XRD studies on composite membranes showed semi-crystalline PEEK into amorphous membrane. TGA studies weight loss and there is no significant weight loss up to 230 °C. In PEMFC, the operational temperature is very well below that. MEA prepared with pure SPEEK as well as SPEEK/TG5 membranes and subjected to realtime PEMFC testing which resulted in better OCV as well as power density.