Chitosan Membranes for Direct Methanol Fuel Cell Applications.

The purpose of this study is to identify the steps involved in fabricating silica/chitosan composite membranes and their suitability for fuel cell applications. It also intends to identify the physical characteristics of chitosan composite membranes, including their degree of water absorption, proton conductivity, methanol permeability, and functional groups. In this investigation, composite membranes were fabricated using the solution casting method with a chitosan content of 5 g and silica dosage variations of 2% and 4% while stirring at a constant speed for 2 h.

The Effect of Sulfated Zirconia and Zirconium Phosphate Nanocomposite Membranes on Fuel-Cell Efficiency.

To investigate the effect of acidic nanoparticles on proton conductivity, permeability, and fuel-cell performance, a commercial Nafion 117 membrane was impregnated with zirconium phosphates (ZrP) and sulfated zirconium (S-ZrO) nanoparticles. As they are more stable than other solid superacids, sulfated metal oxides have been the subject of intensive research. Meanwhile, hydrophilic, proton-conducting inorganic acids such as zirconium phosphate (ZrP) have been used to modify the Nafion membrane due to their hydrophilic nature, proton-conducting material, very low toxicity, low cost, and stability in a hydrogen/oxygen atmosphere.