Tapioca starch (TS), poly (lactic acid) (PLA), and clay nanocomposite foams, with three clays (Cloisite 30B, Na + , and 20A), were prepared by melt-intercalation method. The structural, thermal, physical and mechanical properties were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and Instron universal testing machine, respectively. XRD results indicated that the intercalation of TS/PLA into the nanoclay layers occurred for all three clays. The extents of intercalation depended on the types of clay and were exhibited in the sequence of Cloisite 30B > Na + > 20A. At the same time, a mixture of intercalation and tactoid phenomena was observed for the TS/PLA/Cloisite Na + nanocomposite. SEM results indicated a decrease in cell size of the TS/PLA foam matrix with the addition of nanoclay and cells had hexagonal and pentagonal shapes. Melting temperature (T m ) decreased with the addition of clays into TS/PLA matrix. Expansion ratios of the nanocomposites were significantly different (p < 0.05) from each other. TS/PLA/Cloisite Na + nanocomposite had the highest expansion ratio of 20.9 compared to its TS/PLA/Cloisite 20A (9.65) and TS/PLA/Cloisite 30B counterparts (8.23). Addition of Cloisite Na + resulted in the lowest unit density of 0.046 kg/m 3 , while no significant differences in unit density were observed for the foams with addition of Cloisite 30B and Cloisite 20A. Bulk spring index (BSI) was influenced significantly (p < 0.05) with the addition of nanoclays into the TS/PLA matrix. TS/PLA/Cloisite Na + nanocomposite had the lowest BSI of 0.936. The bulk compressibility was decreased from 14.1 MPa for pure tapioca starch foam to 4.45 MPa with the addition of PLA. The nanocomposite with Cloisite 30B showed the highest value of 17.4 MPa, followed by those with Cloisite
In this study, crosslinked polymer electrolyte membranes for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) applications are prepared using electron beam irradiation with a mixture of sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK), poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF), and triallyl isocyanurate (TAIC) at a dose of 300 kGy. The gel‐fraction of the irradiated SPEEK/PVDF/TAIC (95/4.5/0.5) membrane is 87% while the unirradiated membrane completely dissolves in DMAc solvent. In addition, the water uptake of the irradiated membrane is 221% at 70 °C while that of the unirradiated membrane completely dissolves in water at above 70 °C. The ion exchange capacity and proton conductivity of the crosslinked membrane are 1.57 meq g−1, and 4.0 × 10−2 S cm−1 (at 80 °C and RH 90%), respectively. Furthermore, a morphology study of the membranes is conducted using differential scanning calorimetry and X‐ray diffractometry. The cell performance study with the crosslinked membrane demonstrates that the maximum power density is 518 mW cm−2 at 1036 mA cm−2 and the maximum current density at applied voltage of 0.4 V is 1190 mA cm−2.
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