High performance chitosan/nanocellulose-based composite membrane for alkaline direct ethanol fuel cells

Hren, Maša (author), Roschger, Michaela (author), Hacker, Viktor (author), Genorio, Boštjan (author), Fakin, Darinka (author), Gorgieva, Selestina (author)

Polysaccharide anion exchange membranes (AEMs) containing chitosan (CS), cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) and CNFs quaternized with poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (CNF(P)s) were developed for use in alkaline direct ethanol fuel cells (ADEFCs). The resulting composite membranes prepared by the solvent casting process based on an experimental design were comprehensively assessed for morphology, KOH uptake, swelling ratio, EtOH permeability, mechanical properties, ionic conductivity, and cell performance. The fabricated CS-based composite membranes with CNF(P) fillers were superior to the commercial Fumatech FAA-3-50 membrane in terms of Young's modulus and tensile strength (69 % and 85 % higher, respectively), ion exchange capacity (169 % higher), and ionic conductivity (228 % higher). Single fuel cell tests have shown excellent performance of the CS-based membranes with CNF and CNF(P) fillers, as they exhibited up to 86 % improvement in power density at 80 °C compared to the commercial membrane (65.1 mW/cm$^2$ vs. 35.1 mW/cm$^2$) and higher maximum power density at all test conditions.

• Language: English
• Keywords: chitosan, cellulose nanofibrils, poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride), anion exchange membrane, alkaline direct ethanol fuel cell
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FKKT - Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2023
• Number of pages: 15 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 253, pt. 8, art. 127693
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-152951
• UDC: 606:[620.925:579]:621.352.6:620.3
• ISSN on article: 1879-0003
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.127693
• COBISS.SI-ID: 171005443
• Publication date in RUL: 13.12.2023

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: International journal of biological macromolecules
• Shortened title: Int. j. biol. macromol.
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 1879-0003
• COBISS.SI-ID: 107163139

Licences

• License: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
• Description: The most restrictive Creative Commons license. This only allows people to download and share the work for no commercial gain and for no other purposes.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: hitozan, celulozni nanofibrili, anionsko izmenjevalna membrana, alkalne etanolne gorivne celice