Fabrication and physico-chemical properties of iron titanate nanoparticles based sulfonated poly (ether ether ketone) membrane for proton exchange membrane fuel cell application

Novel nanocomposite membranes based on sulfonated poly (ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) and iron titanate, Fe2TiO5, (IT) were prepared by dispersion of IT nanoparticles into SPEEK solution with solution casting method. The morphology, thermal and mechanical properties, proton conductivity and fuel cell performance of the nanocomposite membranes were investigated. The nanocomposite membrane with 1 wt.% of IT nanoparticles exhibited the highest proton conductivity of 0.096 S/cm at 80 °C, which is 65.5% and 6.6% higher than that of pristine SPEEK membrane and Nafion 117 membrane, respectively. The excellent proton conductivity of the membranes can be attributed to presence of IT nanoparticles which can perform as pathways for proton transport. Moreover, the as-prepared nanocomposite membranes also showed elevated thermal and mechanical stabilities. A single fuel cell equipped with the SPEEK/IT (1 wt.%) nanocomposite membrane showed a peak power density of 188 mW/cm2 at 80 °C. The novel SPEEK/IT membranes with the well-defined proton transport channels and enhanced mechanical properties can be the potential alternative materials to Nafion for PEMFC.