A series of sulfonated polyphosphazene-organic montmorillonite hybrid membranes for direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) were prepared. The structure and characteristics of the obtained membranes were studied by testing their X-ray diffraction (XRD), water uptake, water swelling ratio, proton conductivity, thermal properties, methanol permeability and mechanical properties. The morphological analysis of the composite membranes indicated that the organic montmorillonite was uniformly distributed throughout the polymer matrix. Compared to the native sulfonated polyphosphazene membranes, the hybrid membranes showed better mechanical properties and selectivity for proton ions over methanol. The selectivity indicates that polyphosphazene-montmorillonite membranes may be promising electrolyte candidate for direct methanol fuel cells.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.