A proton exchange membrane fuel cell
(PEMFC) was fabricated with
SnO2 nanoparticles (NPs)-dispersed sulfuric acid-doped
poly (triphenylpyridine aliphatic ether) (SPTPAEs) membrane and studied.
The microporous SPTPAES membrane was successfully synthesized through
a Chichibabin reaction (which is an aminative cyclization between
the synthesized aliphatic chain containing aryl aldehydes and ketones
without high cost metal catalysis) and SnO2 NPs through
a template-free, one-pot hydrothermal method and were further characterized
using FTIR, NMR, atomic force microscopic, and TEM analysis. The typical
properties of the bare SPTPAEs and 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, and 10% SnO2 NP-embedded SPTPAE nanocomposite (NC) membranes, such as
swelling ratio (SR), water uptake (WU), porosity, ion exchange capacity
(IEC), proton conductivity (PC), and oxidative stability, were evaluated.
The powder X-ray diffraction pattern suggested the successful formation
of an amorphous natured polymer and the tetragonal rutile-structured
SnO2 NPs. The scanning electron microscopy and AFM images
indicated that the SPTPAE polymer film has a uniform porous morphology.
The 10% SnO2 NP-loaded SPTPAE NC membrane exhibited an
IEC value of 1.97 mmol/g–1 and a PC value of 2.08
× 10–2 S/cm–1 at 100 °C.
The Arrhenius plot of PC as a function of temperature revealed that
the proton transport in the membrane might have been eventuated by
both Grotthuss and vehicular mechanisms. The 10% SnO2 NP-embedded
SPTPAES NC membranes also showed excellent oxidative stability with
a value of 45.7% degradation after being exposed to a Fenton reagent
at 100 °C for 8 h.