Characterization of Cellulosa Coconut Fiber-Fiber Glass Membrane as a Separator in Water Electrolizer

Abstract

Characterizations of membranes made from cellulose coconut fiber-fiber glass as H<sub>2</sub>O separators in water of electrolyzer has been done. The separators membrane was successfully made with a manual and simple technique, mixing cellulose fiber material produced from the modification of coconut fibers with NaOH immersion process. Cellulose fiber mixed with fiber glass in the composition of 50:0, 40:10, 30:20, 20:30, 10:40, 0:50 (%wt) to get hybrid composite. The results of testing the ability of the membrane as a separator produce H<sub>2</sub> gas concentrations that are more increased than without using a separator. The optimum value produced is 300 ppm in sample 1 which is 50:0:50 %wt, while the H<sub>2</sub> gas production without using a separator which is 51 ppm. For physical properties testing, the addition of mass percent of celluose coconut fiber affects the physical and electrical properties of membrane where the optimum value of % porosity of the material obtained is 73 %, swealling value is 77,5 % and the conductivity value of the material amounting to 1,572 x 10 <sup>-7</sup> S/cm.