Nanoarchitectonics of fibrous clays as fillers of improved proton-conducting membranes for fuel-cell applications
This work reports on the development of various nanostructured materials based on the assembly of SiO2, TiO2 and ZnO nanoparticles to sepiolite fibers (Sep) and their incorporation as a filler of Nafion to improve their performance as proton exchange membrane for fuel cells applications. Various nan...
| Autores: | , , , , |
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| Formato: | artículo |
| Estado: | Versión publicada |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2023 |
| País: | España |
| Recursos: | Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) |
| Repositorio: | DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:digital.csic.es:10261/351324 |
| Acesso em linha: | http://hdl.handle.net/10261/351324 https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85163792981&doi=10.1016%2fj.clay.2023.107019&partnerID=40&md5=826595bf835e0bbbf0f8e41abdc4c2d9 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palavra-chave: | Composite membranes Nafion Nanoarchitectures Nanoparticles Proton conductivity Sepiolite |
| Resumo: | This work reports on the development of various nanostructured materials based on the assembly of SiO2, TiO2 and ZnO nanoparticles to sepiolite fibers (Sep) and their incorporation as a filler of Nafion to improve their performance as proton exchange membrane for fuel cells applications. Various nanoarchitectures, SiO2-Sep, TiO2-SiO2-Sep and ZnO@SiO2-Sep, were prepared following a colloidal route based on the controlled hydrolysis of alkoxide precursos (tetramethoxysilane and titanium tetraisopropoxide) in the presence of hexadecyltrimethylammonium-sepiolite. The SiO2 and TiO2 nanoparticles were consolidated after a thermal treatment that also removes the surfactant and assures their assembly to the clay. In the case of the ZnO@SiO2-Sep nanostructured material, previously formed ZnO nanoparticles were assembled to the intermediated produced after the hydrolysis-polycondensation of tetramethoxysilane on the organoclay, followed by a thermal treatment that consolidates the nanoarchitecture. The resulting nanoarchitectures were characterized by XRD, FTIR, SEM, TEM and N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms, confirming the formation of the nanoparticles and their assembly through silanol groups at the external surface of the clay. Nafion-based composite membranes were prepared using as nanofiller the produced SiO2-Sep, TiO2-SiO2-Sep and ZnO@SiO2-Sep nanoarchitectures. Thermal properties, water uptake and proton conductivity of the resulting composite membranes were evaluated in comparison to those of a neat Nafion membrane to ascertain their potential usefulness for applications in PEMFC. © 2023 The Authors |
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