• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.128-135
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• 2019

In this study, the mesoporous $SiO_2$ (5, 10, or 15 wt%) was incorporated into the polybenzimidazole matrix in order to improve the proton conduction as well as physiochemical properties of composite membrane. The chemical structure of mesoporous $SiO_2$ and crystallinity of as-prepared membranes were analyzed by Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, respectively. The thermal stability of the pristine $X_1Y_9$ and composite membranes were evaluated by thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA). On other side, the physical and chemical properties of the pristine $X_1Y_9$ and composite membranes were also determined by acid uptake and oxidative stability tests, respectively. With the incorporation of 15 wt% $SiO_2$, the composite membrane exhibits the higher proton conductivity that may be applicable for non-humidified high temperature fuel cell applications.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.31 no.7
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• pp.375-381
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• 2021

Chitosan powder is synthesized by a deasetylation process of chitin, obtained from processing of dried shrimp shell powder. Subsequently, chitosan (CS) membranes filled by montmorillonite (MMT) particles and phosphotungstic acid are prepared, and characterized by FT-IR and SEM. The morphology, obtained by SEM for the composite membrane, showed that MMT filler is successfully incorporated and relatively well dispersed in the chitosan polymer matrix. Water and methanol uptake for the CS/MMT composite membranes decrease with increasing MMT loadings, but IEC value increases. In all prepared CS/MMT composite membranes, the CS membrane filled by 5 wt% MMT particles exhibits the best proton conductivity, while that with 10 wt% MMT loading exhibits the lowest methanol permeability; these values are 2.67 mS·cm^-1 and 3.40 × 10^-7 cm²·s^-1, respectively. The best membrane selectivity is shown in the CS/MMT10 composite membrane; this shows that 10 wt% filled MMT is the optimum loading to improve the performance of the chitosan composite membrane. These characteristics make the developed chitosan composite membranes a promising electrolyte for direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) application.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2009.11a
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• pp.147-148
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• 2009

The water-like ionic liquids have been widely used to enable the proton conduction in ionic liquid based membranes at high temperature and anhydrous PEFCs. In this study, we synthesized various kinds of composite membranes based on hydrocarbon polymers having good thermal and mechanical stabilities at high temperatures and ionic liquids. The composite membrane consisting of hydrocarbon polymer and ionic liquid was characterized by thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) and impedance spectroscopy. Consequently the non-aqueous composite membranes of a variety of hydrocarbon polymer and ionic liquids have good conductivity and thermal stability at high temperature conditions.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.227-236
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• 2019

In this work, preparation and characterizations of hybrid membranes containing sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) (SPES) and sulfonated poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (SPVdF-co-HFP) (20, 30 or 40 wt%) were carried out. The structure of hybrid membranes was confirmed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and the Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The prepared SPAES/SPVdF-30 membrane exhibits higher ionic conductivity of 68.9 mS/cm at $90^{\circ}C$ and 100% RH. Besides, the other studies showed that the hybrid membrane has good oxidation stability, thermal stability, and mechanical stability. Thus, we believe that the prepared hybrid membrane is suitable for the development of membranes for fuel cell applications.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.449-455
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• 2006

Ionic cluster mimic, polymer electrolyte membranes were prepared using polymer composites of crosslinked poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) with sulfated-${\beta}$-cyclodextrins (${\beta}-CDSO_3H$) or phosphated-${\beta}$-cyclodextrins (${\beta}-CDPO(OH)_2$). When Nafion, developed for a fuel cell using low temperature, polymer electrolyte membranes, is used in a direct methanol fuel cell, it has a methanol crossover problem. The ionic inverted micellar structure formed by micro-segregation in Nafion, known as ionic cluster, is distorted in methanol aqueous solution, resulting in the significant transport of methanol through the membrane. While the ionic structure formed by the ionic sites in either ${\beta}-CDSO_3H$ or ${\beta}-CDPO(OH)_2$ in this composite membrane is maintained in methanol solution, it is expected to reduce methanol transport. Proton conductivity was found to increase in PVA membranes upon addition of ionized cyclodextrins. Methanol permeability through the PVA composite membrane containing cyclodextrins was lower than that of Nafion. It is thus concluded that the structure and fixation of ionic clusters are significant barriers to methanol crossover in direct methanol fuel cells.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.89-94
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• 2006

Nafion/poly(ether(amino sulfone)) acid-base blend polymer electrolyte membranes were prepared and their proton conductivity and dimethyl ether permeability were investigated. Characteristics of direct dimethyl ether fuel cell (DDMEFC) performance using prepared blend membrane were studied. The increase of amine groups in the base polymer in composite membranes resulted in the decrease in dimethyl ether permeability. The proton conductivity of the blend membranes gradually increased as increasing temperature. The conductivity of Nafion/PEAS-0.6 (85:15) blend membranes was measured to be $1.42\times10^{-2}S/cm\;at\;120^{\circ}C$ which was higher than that of the recast Nafion. The performance of direct dimethyl ether fuel cell (DDMEFC) using the Nafion/PEAS blend membranes was higher than that using $Nafion^(R)115$ membrane. Enhanced performance of direct dimethyl ether fuel cells using Nafion/PEAS blend membrane was explained by reducing dimethyl ether (DME) crossover through the electrolyte membrane and maintenance of the proton conductivity at high temperature.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.159-168
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• 2010

In this study, high porous PVdF flat sheet membranes were prepared to obtain reinforced membrane support for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell. Nano-size laponite was randomly dispersed in the membranes to improve mechanical property which lowered by the high porosity. The morphology and porosity of prepared PVdF/Laponite composite membranes were examined using the SEM analysis and the weight method and all membranes showed over 60% porosity. The membrane thermal stability depending on the laponite contents in the composite membranes was evaluated by membrane heat shrinkage at $105^{\circ}C$ and $135^{\circ}C$. MD and TD heat shrinkage of the PVdF composite membrane containing 5 wt% laponite was 2~3% and 2~3.5% at $135^{\circ}C$, respectively. The mechanical strength was enhanced after incorporating laponite particles and 30% increase in the modulus compared to pure PVdF membrane was obtained.

• Proceedings of the Polymer Society of Korea Conference
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• 2006.10a
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• pp.185-185
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• 2006

The performances of proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), direct formic acid fuel cell (DFAFC) and direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) with sulfonated poly(ether sulfone) membrane are reported. Pt/C was coated on the membrane directly to fabricate a MEA for PEMFC operation. A single cell test was carried out using $H_2/air$ gases as fuel and oxidant. A current density of $730\;mA/cm^2$ at 0.60 V was obtained at $70^{\circ}C$. Pt-Ru (anode) and Pt (cathode) were coated on the membrane for DMFC operations. It produced $83\;mW/cm^2$ of maximum power density. The sulfonated poly(ether sulfone) membrane was also used for DFAFC operation under several different conditions. It showed good cell performances for several different kinds of polymer electrolyte fuel cell applications.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.63-71
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• 2009

In this study, polysulfone which has excellent mechanical and thermal stability with low cost was used for preparing a non-conducting polymer matrix as a reinforced composite membrane for fuel cell application. The membranes were prepared by phase separation method. Polymer concentration and retention time were controlled to investigate the effects on the membrane morphology. The resaltant membranes showed all sponge-like structure independent of polymer concentration. The mechanical and thermal stability were improved with increasing polymer concentration in contrast to the membrane porosity. As a result, the membranes prepared with the retention time for 2 mins using 20 wt% of polymer solution was suitable for a fuel cell compositite membrane providing optimum properties such as approximately 80% of high porosity, 1.3 MPa of tensile strength, and less than 1% of thermal shrinkage both machine and transverse direction.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.279-304
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• 2023

Polybenzimidazole (PBI) based membranes have evolved in literature as a popular membrane material for various applications in the past two decades because of their high temperature thermal durability, strong mechanical and tensile properties, high glass transition temperature (T_g), ion conduction ability at elevated temperature (up to 200℃), oxidative or chemical durability along with robust network like structural rigidity, which make PBI membranes suitable for various potential applications in chemically challenging environments. Ion conducting PBI based membranes have been extensively utilized in high temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells (HT-PEMFC). In addition, PBI based membranes have been vastly utilized for the development of gas separation membranes and organic solvent nanofiltration (OSN) membranes for their unique characteristics. This review will cover the recent progress and application of various types of flat sheet PBI based membranes for HT-PEMFC, gas separation and OSN application.