Hydrophilicity/porous structure-tuned, SiO2/polyetherimide-coated polyimide nonwoven porous substrates for reinforced composite proton exchange membranes

Jung Ran Lee; Ji Hye Won; Na Young Kim; Moo Seok Lee; Sang Young Lee

doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2011.06.076

Hydrophilicity/porous structure-tuned, SiO₂/polyetherimide-coated polyimide nonwoven porous substrates for reinforced composite proton exchange membranes

Jung Ran Lee, Ji Hye Won, Na Young Kim, Moo Seok Lee, Sang Young Lee

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

13 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Porous substrate-reinforced composite proton exchange membranes have drawn considerable attention due to their promising application to polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). In the present study, we develop silica (SiO₂) nanoparticles/polyetherimide (PEI) binders-coated polyimide (PI) nonwoven porous substrates (referred to as " S-PI substrates" ) for reinforced composite membranes. The properties of S-PI substrates, which crucially affect the performance of resulting reinforced composite membranes, are significantly improved by controlling the hygroscopic SiO₂ particle size. The 40nm S-PI substrate (herein, 40nm SiO₂ particles are employed) shows the stronger hydrophilicity and highly porous structure than the 530nm S-PI substrate due to the larger specific surface area of 40nm SiO₂ particles. Based on the comprehensive understanding of the S-PI substrates, the structures and performances of the S-PI substrates-reinforced composite membranes are elucidated. In comparison with the 530nm S-PI substrate, the hydrophilicity/porous structure-tuned 40nm S-PI substrate enables the impregnation of a large amount of a perfluorosulfonic acid ionomer (Nafion), which thus contributes to the improved proton conductivity of the reinforced Nafion composite membrane. Meanwhile, the reinforced Nafion composite membranes effectively mitigate the steep decline of proton conductivity with time at low humidity conditions, as compared to the pristine Nafion membrane. This intriguing finding is further discussed by considering the unusual features of the S-PI substrates and the state of water in the reinforced Nafion composite membranes.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	607-614
Number of pages	8
Journal	Journal of Colloid and Interface Science
Volume	362
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcis.2011.06.076
Publication status	Published - 2011 Oct 15

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work was supported by the New & Renewable Energy R&D Program of the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning (KETEP) Grant funded by the Korea government Ministry of Knowledge Economy (2008-N-FC12-J-01-2-100). This research was also supported by a Grant from the Fundamental R&D Program for Core Technology of Materials funded by the Ministry of Knowledge Economy. This work was also supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea Grant funded by the Korean Government (MEST) (NRF-2009-C1AAA001-2009-0093307).

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Biomaterials
Surfaces, Coatings and Films
Colloid and Surface Chemistry

Access to Document

10.1016/j.jcis.2011.06.076

Cite this

@article{c3c19a2ee6a046128253a5ebf5bd2820,

title = "Hydrophilicity/porous structure-tuned, SiO2/polyetherimide-coated polyimide nonwoven porous substrates for reinforced composite proton exchange membranes",

abstract = "Porous substrate-reinforced composite proton exchange membranes have drawn considerable attention due to their promising application to polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). In the present study, we develop silica (SiO2) nanoparticles/polyetherimide (PEI) binders-coated polyimide (PI) nonwoven porous substrates (referred to as {"} S-PI substrates{"} ) for reinforced composite membranes. The properties of S-PI substrates, which crucially affect the performance of resulting reinforced composite membranes, are significantly improved by controlling the hygroscopic SiO2 particle size. The 40nm S-PI substrate (herein, 40nm SiO2 particles are employed) shows the stronger hydrophilicity and highly porous structure than the 530nm S-PI substrate due to the larger specific surface area of 40nm SiO2 particles. Based on the comprehensive understanding of the S-PI substrates, the structures and performances of the S-PI substrates-reinforced composite membranes are elucidated. In comparison with the 530nm S-PI substrate, the hydrophilicity/porous structure-tuned 40nm S-PI substrate enables the impregnation of a large amount of a perfluorosulfonic acid ionomer (Nafion), which thus contributes to the improved proton conductivity of the reinforced Nafion composite membrane. Meanwhile, the reinforced Nafion composite membranes effectively mitigate the steep decline of proton conductivity with time at low humidity conditions, as compared to the pristine Nafion membrane. This intriguing finding is further discussed by considering the unusual features of the S-PI substrates and the state of water in the reinforced Nafion composite membranes.",

author = "Lee, {Jung Ran} and Won, {Ji Hye} and Kim, {Na Young} and Lee, {Moo Seok} and Lee, {Sang Young}",

note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by the New & Renewable Energy R&D Program of the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning (KETEP) Grant funded by the Korea government Ministry of Knowledge Economy (2008-N-FC12-J-01-2-100). This research was also supported by a Grant from the Fundamental R&D Program for Core Technology of Materials funded by the Ministry of Knowledge Economy. This work was also supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea Grant funded by the Korean Government (MEST) (NRF-2009-C1AAA001-2009-0093307).",

year = "2011",

month = oct,

day = "15",

doi = "10.1016/j.jcis.2011.06.076",

language = "English",

volume = "362",

pages = "607--614",

journal = "Journal of Colloid and Interface Science",

issn = "0021-9797",

publisher = "Academic Press Inc.",

number = "2",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Hydrophilicity/porous structure-tuned, SiO2/polyetherimide-coated polyimide nonwoven porous substrates for reinforced composite proton exchange membranes

AU - Lee, Jung Ran

AU - Won, Ji Hye

AU - Kim, Na Young

AU - Lee, Moo Seok

AU - Lee, Sang Young

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by the New & Renewable Energy R&D Program of the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning (KETEP) Grant funded by the Korea government Ministry of Knowledge Economy (2008-N-FC12-J-01-2-100). This research was also supported by a Grant from the Fundamental R&D Program for Core Technology of Materials funded by the Ministry of Knowledge Economy. This work was also supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea Grant funded by the Korean Government (MEST) (NRF-2009-C1AAA001-2009-0093307).

PY - 2011/10/15

Y1 - 2011/10/15

N2 - Porous substrate-reinforced composite proton exchange membranes have drawn considerable attention due to their promising application to polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). In the present study, we develop silica (SiO2) nanoparticles/polyetherimide (PEI) binders-coated polyimide (PI) nonwoven porous substrates (referred to as " S-PI substrates" ) for reinforced composite membranes. The properties of S-PI substrates, which crucially affect the performance of resulting reinforced composite membranes, are significantly improved by controlling the hygroscopic SiO2 particle size. The 40nm S-PI substrate (herein, 40nm SiO2 particles are employed) shows the stronger hydrophilicity and highly porous structure than the 530nm S-PI substrate due to the larger specific surface area of 40nm SiO2 particles. Based on the comprehensive understanding of the S-PI substrates, the structures and performances of the S-PI substrates-reinforced composite membranes are elucidated. In comparison with the 530nm S-PI substrate, the hydrophilicity/porous structure-tuned 40nm S-PI substrate enables the impregnation of a large amount of a perfluorosulfonic acid ionomer (Nafion), which thus contributes to the improved proton conductivity of the reinforced Nafion composite membrane. Meanwhile, the reinforced Nafion composite membranes effectively mitigate the steep decline of proton conductivity with time at low humidity conditions, as compared to the pristine Nafion membrane. This intriguing finding is further discussed by considering the unusual features of the S-PI substrates and the state of water in the reinforced Nafion composite membranes.

AB - Porous substrate-reinforced composite proton exchange membranes have drawn considerable attention due to their promising application to polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). In the present study, we develop silica (SiO2) nanoparticles/polyetherimide (PEI) binders-coated polyimide (PI) nonwoven porous substrates (referred to as " S-PI substrates" ) for reinforced composite membranes. The properties of S-PI substrates, which crucially affect the performance of resulting reinforced composite membranes, are significantly improved by controlling the hygroscopic SiO2 particle size. The 40nm S-PI substrate (herein, 40nm SiO2 particles are employed) shows the stronger hydrophilicity and highly porous structure than the 530nm S-PI substrate due to the larger specific surface area of 40nm SiO2 particles. Based on the comprehensive understanding of the S-PI substrates, the structures and performances of the S-PI substrates-reinforced composite membranes are elucidated. In comparison with the 530nm S-PI substrate, the hydrophilicity/porous structure-tuned 40nm S-PI substrate enables the impregnation of a large amount of a perfluorosulfonic acid ionomer (Nafion), which thus contributes to the improved proton conductivity of the reinforced Nafion composite membrane. Meanwhile, the reinforced Nafion composite membranes effectively mitigate the steep decline of proton conductivity with time at low humidity conditions, as compared to the pristine Nafion membrane. This intriguing finding is further discussed by considering the unusual features of the S-PI substrates and the state of water in the reinforced Nafion composite membranes.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=80051471992&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=80051471992&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.jcis.2011.06.076

DO - 10.1016/j.jcis.2011.06.076

M3 - Article

C2 - 21788024

AN - SCOPUS:80051471992

SN - 0021-9797

VL - 362

SP - 607

EP - 614

JO - Journal of Colloid and Interface Science

JF - Journal of Colloid and Interface Science

IS - 2

ER -