Sains Malaysiana 48(4)(2019): 877–885

http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2019-4804-20

 

Membrane Electrode Assembly with High Efficiency and Stability: Effect of Solvent Type and Membrane Composition

(Pemasangan Elektrod Membran dengan Kecekapan dan Kestabilan yang Tinggi: Kesan Jenis Pelarut dan Komposisi Membran)

 

N. SABLI^1,2*, N.A. ABU BAKAR¹, S. IZHAR¹ & H.S. HILAL³

 

¹Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

 

²Institute of Advance Technology (ITMA), Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

 

³SSERL, Department of Chemistry, An-Najah N. University, Nablus, West Bank, Palestine

 

Received: 22 June 2018/Accepted: 16 February 2019

 

ABSTRACT

Membrane electrode assembly (MEA) method is being widely considered in proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) preparation. This work describes for the first time how PEMFC performance can be enhanced, while using relatively low temperature processing for the MEA, by choosing the suitable solvent and suitable ionomer (nafion) content. Three dispersion solvents (water, ethylene glycol and ethanol) have been examined here, and ethanol (with lowest boiling point) showed best PEMFC performance. In addition to its non-hazardous nature, the low boiling point ethanol allowed manufacturing the working membrane at 130°C or lower besides using a safe solvent to use. In each solvent system, different nafion concentrations were used (10%, 20% and 30%). The 30% nafion concentration in ethanol showed highest performance (Open circuit potential of 0.88 V and output working potential of 0.67 V at 20 mA/cm2 current density) among the series. The anode and cathode, of the MEA, were both fabricated using same catalyst material (Platinum) and same nafion sheet thickness (50 μm). The spray method was employed. The electrochemical performance for the prepared MEA fuel cells was assessed by linear sweep voltammetry to evaluate the open circuit voltage.

 

Keywords: Dispersion solvent; hydrogen fuel cell; MEA; nafion ionomer

 

ABSTRAK

Kaedah pemasangan elektrod membran (MEA) dipertimbangkan secara meluas dalam penyediaan sel bahan bakar membran sel proton (PEMFC). Kajian ini menerangkan buat kali pertama bagaimana prestasi PEMFC dapat dipertingkatkan semasa memproses MEA pada suhu yang rendah dengan memilih pelarut dan kandungan ionomer (nafion) yang sesuai. Tiga pelarut penyebaran (air, etilena glikol dan etanol) telah diperiksa. Etanol (takat didih terendah) didapati menunjukkan prestasi PEMFC yang terbaik. Tambahan pula sifat etanol yang tidak berbahaya, takat didih yang rendah membolehkan pembuatan membran pada suhu 130°C atau lebih rendah dapat dilaksanakan di samping ia juga pelarut yang selamat untuk digunakan. Dalam setiap sistem pelarut, kepekatan nafion berbeza digunakan (10%, 20% dan 30%). Kepekatan 30% nafion dalam etanol menunjukkan prestasi tertinggi (potensi litar terbuka 0.88 V dan potensi kerja output 0.67 V pada kepadatan arus 20 mA /cm2) antara siri ini. Anod dan katod pada MEA, kedua-duanya difabrikasi menggunakan bahan pemangkin yang sama (Platinum) dan ketebalan lembaran nafion yang sama (50 μm). Kaedah semburan telah digunakan. Prestasi elektrokimia untuk sel bahan bakar MEA diukur menggunakan voltammetri menyapu linear untuk menilai voltan litar terbuka.

 

Kata kunci: MEA; nafion ionomer; pelarut penyebaran; sel bahan api hidrogen

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*Corresponding author; email: nordin_sab@upm.edu.my