Parameters Affecting Synthesis of Sulfonated Chitosan Membrane for Proton Exchange Membrane in Fuel Cells

Abd-elnaeem, Sara Gamil; Hafez, Azza Ibrahim; El-Khatib, Kamel M.; Mohamed, Heba Abdallah; Fouad, Mai Mohamed Kamal El Din; Abadir, Ehab

doi:10.21608/ejchem.2023.230907.8651

Parameters Affecting Synthesis of Sulfonated Chitosan Membrane for Proton Exchange Membrane in Fuel Cells

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Chemical Engineering and Pilot Plant Department, Engineering, Renewable Energy Research Institute, National Research Center.

² Department of Chemical Engineering, National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt

³ Chemical Engineering Department, Engineering Division, National Research Center

⁴ Chemical engineering department , Engineering division, National research centre

⁵ Cairo University Faculty of Engineering Chemical Engineering Department

⁶ Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University, Egypt.

10.21608/ejchem.2023.230907.8651

Abstract

Sulfonated chitosan (SCS) was prepared and characterized to be used in the preparation of poly electrolyte membranes in fuel cells (PEMFCs). The studied parameters were: sulfonating agents and their concentrations; reaction time; temperatures; and stirring rates. The characterizations of chitosan (CS) and SCS were investigated by 1HNMR, FTIR, XRD, TGA, and DTG. Degree of sulfonation (DS), ionic exchange capacity (IEC), and sulfur content (Sc) of SCS were 71.256%, 0.4502 mmol/g, and 1.447%, respectively, at optimum sulfonating conditions of 12 hr, 70 oC, and 600 rpm by using 4 M sulfuric acid. The water uptake of the SCS membrane was 37.4%, and the mechanical properties were 6.95 MPa and 14% for tensile strength and elongation at break, respectively.

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