Development Of Polyelectrolyte Sulfonated Chitosan-Alginate As An Alternative Methanol Fuel Cell Membrane

The aim of this research is the development of biopolymers-based polyelectrolyte membranes (PEMs) for application in the fuel cell. The sulfonated chitosan derivatives and alginate base membranes are the parent biopolymer candidates used in this study to develop physically and chemically polyelectrolyte membranes fuel cell (PEMFC). The calcium alginate base membranes interact via ionic bonds with the sulfonated chitosan derivatives of different sulfonation degrees to have physically polyelectrolyte membranes. Activation of the calcium alginate base membranes with glutaraldehyde induced further covalent bonds in addition to the ionic ones during the reaction with the sulfonated chitosan derivatives of different sulfonation degrees to have chemically polyelectrolyte membranes. The developed PEMs were evaluated using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and thermal gravimetric analysis analyses. Moreover, their ion exchange capacity, methanol permeability, young modulus analysis, and water uptake characters were measured. The developed chemically PEMFC show superior characters regard the physical counterpart. Moreover, the developed chemically PEMFC show comparable characters to the Nafion 117 membrane which encourages nominating the finding formulations for further PEMs developments.