• Membrane Journal
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.1-7
• /
• 2005

Polymer electrolyte membranes containing polysilsesquioxane (PSQ) spheres were prepared with the blend of sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) (60%) and poly(ether sulfone) (PES) (40%). The amount of PSQ spheres was fixed at 10 wt%. The prepared polymer electrolyte membranes were characterized in terms of methanol permeability, proton conductivity, and ion exchange capacity. In all cases, both methanol permeability and proton conductivity of the polymer electrolyte membranes containing PSQ spheres were lower than the values of Nafion 117 and higher than those of SPEEK/PES (6:4) blend without PSQ spheres. The experimental results indicated that the polymer electrolyte membranes containing MS64 and VTMOS spheres were the best choice in terms of the ratio of proton conductivity to methanol permeability.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.15-22
• /
• 2017

Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans), which plays a major role in the etiology of human dental caries, is able to tolerate exposure to acid shock in addition to its acidogenicity. We investigated the effects of pH stress on membrane fluidity, activities and expression levels of F-ATPase, and proton permeability in S. mutans. Using 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene, we observed membrane ordering at pH 4.8 and pH 8.8. The ordering effects were larger at pH 4.8 in cytoplasmic membranes isolated from S. mutans (CMSM). Increasing pH resulted in a decrease in the activities and expression levels of F-ATPase. The proton permeability was decreased at both acidic and alkaline pHs, and the lowest permeability was observed at pH 4.8. The lower permeability at pH 8.8 than pH 6.8 is likely to be caused by the decreased proton influx due to the decreased CMSM fluidity. In addition, it seems to be evident that extremely low permeability at pH 4.8 was caused by the decreased proton influx due to the decreased CMSM fluidity as well as the increased proton efflux due to the increased activity and expression level of F-ATPase. It is likely that CMSM fluidity and F-ATPase activity are two major key factors that determine proton permeability in S. mutans. We suggest that CMSM fluidity plays an important role in the determination of proton permeability, which sheds light on the possibility of using nonspecific membrane fluidizers, e.g., ethanol, for anti-caries purposes.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
• /
• 2005.07a
• /
• pp.409-411
• /
• 2005

A series of inorganic-organic hybrid membranes were prepared with a systematic variation of titanium dioxidenanoparticles content. Their water uptake, methanol permeability and proton conductivity as a function of inorganic oxide content were investigated. The results obtained show that the inorganic oxide network decreases the proton conductivity and water swelling. It is also found that increase in inorganic oxide content leads to decrease of methanol permeability. In terms of the morphology, membranes are homogeneous and exhibit a good adhesion between inorganic domains and the polymer matrix. The properties of the composite membranes are compared with the standard nation membrane.

• Macromolecular Research
• /
• v.16 no.5
• /
• pp.457-466
• /
• 2008

The relation between the phase separated morphologies and their transport properties in the polymer blend membrane for direct methanol fuel cell application was studied. In order to enhance the proton conductivity and reduce the methanol crossover, sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) copolymer, with a sulfonation of 60 mol% (sPAES-60), was blended with nonsulfonated poly(ether sulfone) copolymer (RH-2000, Solvay). Various morphologies were obtained by varying the drying condition and the concentration of the casting solution (10, 15, 20 wt%). The transport properties of proton and methanol molecule through the polymer blend membranes were studied according to the absorbed water. AC impedance spectroscopy was used to measure the proton conductivity and a liquid permeability measuring instrument was designed to measure the methanol permeability. The state of water in the blend membranes was confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry and was used to correlate the morphology of the membrane with the membrane transport properties.

• KEPCO Journal on Electric Power and Energy
• /
• v.2 no.1
• /
• pp.127-131
• /
• 2016

Polymer electrolyte membrane for unitized regenerative fuel cells requires high proton conductivity, high dimensional stability, low permeability, and low cost. However, DuPont's Nafion which is a commercial polymer electrolyte membrane has high permeability, high cost, and decreasing proton conductivity and dimensional stability over $80^{\circ}C$. To address these problems, sulfonated poly ether ether ketone (sPEEK) which is a low cost hydrocarbon polymer is selected as matrix polymer for the preparation of polymer electrolyte membrane. In addition, composite membrane with improved proton conductivity and dimensional stability is prepared by introducing sulfonated graphene oxide (sGO). The fundamental properties of polymer electrolyte membranes are analyzed by investigating membrane's water content, dimensional stability, proton conductivity, and morphology. The cell test is conducted to consider the possibility of application of sPEEK/sGO composite membrane for an unitized regenerative fuel cell.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
• /
• v.55 no.4
• /
• pp.473-477
• /
• 2017

The polymer membrane of proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) has a great influence on PEMFC performance and durability. In this study, hydrogen permeability, fluorine emission rate (FER), lifetime, and performance of Nafion membranes with different thicknesses were measured to investigate the effect of thickness of polymer membrane on performance and durability. The relationship between membrane thickness and lifetime was obtained from the relationships between hydrogen permeability and membrane thickness, hydrogen permeability and FER, FER and lifetime. As the membrane became thicker, the hydrogen permeability and FER decreased and the lifetime increased. On the other hand, the performance decreased with increasing membrane resistance. The membrane thickness range satisfying both performance and durability was 25 to $28{\mu}m$.

• Membrane Journal
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.155-170
• /
• 2012

Fuel cells have been considered as alternative power generation system in the twenty-first century because of eco-friendly system, high power density and efficiency compare with petroleum engine system. Proton exchange membranes (PEMs) are the key components in fuel cell system. Currently, Nafion has been used in fuel cell system. However, Nafion has disadvantages such as low conductivity at high temperature and high cost. The researchers have focused to reach the high properties such as high proton conductivity, low permeability to fuel, good chemical/thermal stability, good mechanical properties and low manufacturing cost. Various methods have been developed for preparation of proton exchange membrane with high performance and commercialization of fuel cell system. The hybrid organic/inorganic membrane has the potentials to provide a unique combination of organic and inorganic properties with improved proton conductivity and mechanical property at high temperatures. So, this paper presents an overview of research trend for the composite membranes prepared by organic/inorganic system using various inorganic materials.

• Membrane Journal
• /
• v.33 no.5
• /
• pp.233-239
• /
• 2023

The transport properties of membranes used in vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFB) are fundamental in battery performance. High proton conductivity and low vanadium ion permeability must be achieved to achieve high battery performance. However, there is a trade-off relationship between proton conductivity and vanadium ion permeability. So, solving this trade-off relationship is crucial in VRFB development. Also, maintaining high coulombic efficiency, voltage efficiency, and energy efficiency is essential for high-performing VRFB. Recently, various attempts have been made, primarily on composite membranes and SPEEK membranes, to overcome the existing limit of Nafion membranes. VRFB is an essential class of rechargeable battery in composite membranes reviewed here.

• Proceedings of the Membrane Society of Korea Conference
• /
• 2003.11a
• /
• pp.61-63
• /
• 2003

A major research objective related to proton exchange membrane(PEM) for DMFC is to achieve high proton conductivity over 10$^{-2}$ S/cm, high hydrolytic stability and low methanol permeability with low cost base materials. for the purpose, a lot of thermoplastic polymers such as polysulfones, polyethersulfone, polyetherketones, polyimides, polyoxadiazole, polyphosphazene and polybenzimidazol have been investigated. Amongst those polymers, polyimides have been suggested as a potential PEM due to their excellent thermal, chemical stability and good mechanical properties. Generally, polyimides are synthesized by polycondensation with numerious diamines and dianhydriedes. In our study, polyimide was prepared using non-sulfonated diamine, sulfonated diamine directly synthesized by fuming sulfuric acid, and naphthalenic dianhydride to improve the hydrolysis stability under acidic condition. Through monomer sulfonation-subsequent polymerization method, the high proton conducting capability and the desired sulfonation level were effectively controlled at the same time. To reduce severe methanol transport through the membrane, the chemical crosslinking among polymer chains was introduced using various crosslinking agents with different chain lengths. The crosslinked sulfonated polyimide membranes showed high proton conductivity up to 8.09$\times$10$^{-2}$ S/cm and from crosslinking effect methanol transport through the membranes was considerably reduced as compared with unmodified membranes. For increase of chain length of crosslinker, methanol permeability was adversely reduced to 10$^{-8}$ $\textrm{cm}^2$/s due to decrease of IEC and increase of crosslinking desity.

• 한국전기화학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2005.07a
• /
• pp.233-240
• /
• 2005

A series of inorganic-organic hybrid membranes were prepared with a systematic variation of titanium dioxidenanoparticles content. Their water uptake, methanol permeability and proton conductivity as a function of inoranic oxide content were investigated. The results obtained show that the inorganic oxide network decreases the proton conductivity and water swelling. It is also found that increase In inorganic oxide content leads to decrease of methanol permeability. In terms of the morphology, membranes are homogeneous and exhibit a good adhesion between inorganic domains and the polymer matrix. The properties of the composite membranes are compared with the standard nafion membrane.