IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v16y2023i23p7759-d1287241.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Enhancing Water Retention, Transport, and Conductivity Performance in Fuel Cell Applications: Nafion-Based Nanocomposite Membranes with Organomodified Graphene Oxide Nanoplatelets

Author

Listed:
  • Muhammad Habib Ur Rehman

    (Department of Chemistry and Chemical Technologies, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, CS, Italy)

  • Luigi Coppola

    (Department of Chemistry and Chemical Technologies, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, CS, Italy)

  • Ernestino Lufrano

    (Department of Chemistry and Chemical Technologies, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, CS, Italy)

  • Isabella Nicotera

    (Department of Chemistry and Chemical Technologies, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, CS, Italy)

  • Cataldo Simari

    (Department of Chemistry and Chemical Technologies, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, CS, Italy)

Abstract

The synergistic combination of Nafion and sulfonated graphene oxide (GOsulf) in nanocomposite membranes emerged as a promising strategy for advancing proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) technology. In the pursuit of elucidating the effect of GOsulf introduction on transport properties and electrochemical performance of Nafion, this work provides a systematic study combining swelling tests, water release tests, 1 H NMR characterization, and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) investigation. The incorporation of organomodified GO nanolayers alters the distribution of water molecules within the hydrophilic domains of Nafion and produces a considerable increase in the “bound-water” fraction. This increases its water retention capability while ensuring very high diffusivity even under high temperatures, i.e., 1.5 × 10 −5 cm 2 s −1 at 130 °C. These peculiar features enable Naf-GOsulf to successfully operate under a dehydrating environment, yielding a proton conductivity of 44.9 mS cm −1 at 30% RH.

Suggested Citation

  • Muhammad Habib Ur Rehman & Luigi Coppola & Ernestino Lufrano & Isabella Nicotera & Cataldo Simari, 2023. "Enhancing Water Retention, Transport, and Conductivity Performance in Fuel Cell Applications: Nafion-Based Nanocomposite Membranes with Organomodified Graphene Oxide Nanoplatelets," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-11, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:16:y:2023:i:23:p:7759-:d:1287241
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/23/7759/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/23/7759/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Steven Chu & Arun Majumdar, 2012. "Opportunities and challenges for a sustainable energy future," Nature, Nature, vol. 488(7411), pages 294-303, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Chen, Long Xiang & Xie, Mei Na & Zhao, Pan Pan & Wang, Feng Xiang & Hu, Peng & Wang, Dong Xiang, 2018. "A novel isobaric adiabatic compressed air energy storage (IA-CAES) system on the base of volatile fluid," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 210(C), pages 198-210.
    2. Wang, Yubao & Huang, Xiaozhou & Huang, Zhendong, 2024. "Energy-related uncertainty and Chinese stock market returns," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 62(PB).
    3. Chen, Xuejun & Yang, Yongming & Cui, Zhixin & Shen, Jun, 2019. "Vibration fault diagnosis of wind turbines based on variational mode decomposition and energy entropy," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 174(C), pages 1100-1109.
    4. Pin Li & Jinsuo Zhang, 2019. "Is China’s Energy Supply Sustainable? New Research Model Based on the Exponential Smoothing and GM(1,1) Methods," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-30, January.
    5. Sung-Fu Hung & Aoni Xu & Xue Wang & Fengwang Li & Shao-Hui Hsu & Yuhang Li & Joshua Wicks & Eduardo González Cervantes & Armin Sedighian Rasouli & Yuguang C. Li & Mingchuan Luo & Dae-Hyun Nam & Ning W, 2022. "A metal-supported single-atom catalytic site enables carbon dioxide hydrogenation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
    6. Zheng, Bobo & Xu, Jiuping & Ni, Ting & Li, Meihui, 2015. "Geothermal energy utilization trends from a technological paradigm perspective," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 430-441.
    7. Mao, Guozhu & Zou, Hongyang & Chen, Guanyi & Du, Huibin & Zuo, Jian, 2015. "Past, current and future of biomass energy research: A bibliometric analysis," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 1823-1833.
    8. Luo, Rongrong & Wang, Liuwei & Yu, Wei & Shao, Feilong & Shen, Haikuo & Xie, Huaqing, 2023. "High energy storage density titanium nitride-pentaerythritol solid–solid composite phase change materials for light-thermal-electric conversion," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 331(C).
    9. Ewa C. E. Rönnebro & Greg Whyatt & Michael Powell & Matthew Westman & Feng (Richard) Zheng & Zhigang Zak Fang, 2015. "Metal Hydrides for High-Temperature Power Generation," Energies, MDPI, vol. 8(8), pages 1-25, August.
    10. Chen, Dongfang & Pan, Lyuming & Pei, Pucheng & Huang, Shangwei & Ren, Peng & Song, Xin, 2021. "Carbon-coated oxygen vacancies-rich Co3O4 nanoarrays grow on nickel foam as efficient bifunctional electrocatalysts for rechargeable zinc-air batteries," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 224(C).
    11. Chang, Chih-Chang & Huang, Wei-Hao & Mai, Van-Phung & Tsai, Jia-Shiuan & Yang, Ruey-Jen, 2021. "Experimental investigation into energy harvesting of NaCl droplet flow over graphene supported by silicon dioxide," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 229(C).
    12. Chen, Hao & Wang, Huanran & Li, Ruixiong & Sun, Hao & Ge, Gangqiang & Ling, Lanning, 2022. "Experimental and analytical investigation of near-isothermal pumped hydro-compressed air energy storage system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 249(C).
    13. Wang, Jiayu, 2016. "Do light vehicle emissions standards promote environmental goals in Australia?," Conference papers 332692, Purdue University, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Global Trade Analysis Project.
    14. Géremi Gilson Dranka & Paula Ferreira, 2020. "Electric Vehicles and Biofuels Synergies in the Brazilian Energy System," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-22, August.
    15. Ondraczek, Janosch, 2014. "Are we there yet? Improving solar PV economics and power planning in developing countries: The case of Kenya," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 604-615.
    16. Caspeta, Luis & Caro-Bermúdez, Mario A. & Ponce-Noyola, Teresa & Martinez, Alfredo, 2014. "Enzymatic hydrolysis at high-solids loadings for the conversion of agave bagasse to fuel ethanol," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 277-286.
    17. Li, Chengchen & Wang, Huanran & He, Xin & Zhang, Yan, 2022. "Experimental and thermodynamic investigation on isothermal performance of large-scaled liquid piston," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 249(C).
    18. Peixiao Fan & Jia Hu & Song Ke & Yuxin Wen & Shaobo Yang & Jun Yang, 2022. "A Frequency–Pressure Cooperative Control Strategy of Multi-Microgrid with an Electric–Gas System Based on MADDPG," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-20, July.
    19. Yang, Jingluan & Chen, Wei, 2023. "Unravelling the landscape of global cobalt trade: Patterns, robustness, and supply chain security," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 86(PB).
    20. Karytsas, Spyridon & Theodoropoulou, Helen, 2014. "Socioeconomic and demographic factors that influence publics' awareness on the different forms of renewable energy sources," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 480-485.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:16:y:2023:i:23:p:7759-:d:1287241. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.