Fabrication of ionic liquid/polymer nanoscale networks by electrospinning and chemical cross-linking and their application in hydrogen generation from the hydrolysis of NaBH4

This study reports the development of a new system of IL (ionic liquid) with metal complex, chemically crosslinked, electrospun nanofibers based on PVDF (poly(vinylidene fluoride)) as a polymer matrix. The nanofibers were fabricated with different amounts of ionic liquid, PEG (polyethylene glycol), and EGDMA (ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) via electrospinning. The obtained nanofiber composites were thermal treated at 135 °C to produce physically bonded structures and chemically cross-linked networks, which were confirmed by SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy), EDX (Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometer) and FT-IR spectra (Fourier transform infrared). The elecrospun PVDF/PEG/EGDMA/IL chemically cross-linked nanofibers were tested for the hydrogen generation from the hydrolysis of sodium borohydride. The nanofiber composites showed high stability and recycling ability in repeated number of runs.