Open Access
ARTICLE
Steady State Analysis of Water Transport through Sulfonated Polyether Ether Ketone (SPEEK) Membrane for Fuel Cell Application
RABIRANJAN MURMU1,2,*, HAREKRUSHNA SUTAR1
1
Department of Chemical Engineering, Indira Gandhi Institute of Technology, Sarang,
759146, Odisha, India.
2 Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology
Madras, 600036, India.
* Corresponding Author: e-mail:
Journal of Polymer Materials 2018, 35(1), 103-118.
Abstract
Sulfonated Polyether Ether Ketone (SPEEK) membrane is considered as a potential alternative
membrane for fuel cell because of its cost effectiveness and easily prepared. SPEEK
membranes were prepared by solution casting method with film thickness of 80, 127 and 150
µm. Samples are analyzed by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectrometer. Water uptake
study states that diffusivity of water increased with increase in Degree of Sulfonation (DS) of
the membrane. Experimental moisture uptake data was fitted to a dual stage model. Proton
conductivity of the membrane was measured by two probe method using impedance analyzer.
Proton conductivity of the sample is improved with improving DS of membrane. Proton
conductivity of membrane gave promising results in the range of 10
-2 to 10
-1 S/cm. Membrane
water content has the greatest effect towards proton conductivity. The permeation of water
through membrane was measured by in house permeation cell at a temperature range of 40-
90°C and feed side water activity between 0.2 and 1. Water permeation from liquid feed
increased with increase in membrane temperature and inversely proportional with membrane
thickness. Water transported across the membrane in a permeation cell was considered as
a one dimensional diffusion model. Water permeation data was compared with conventional
Nafion permeation results. Water permeability data shows linear improvement with membrane
water content and temperature.
Keywords
Cite This Article
APA Style
MURMU, R., SUTAR, H. (2018). Steady state analysis of water transport through sulfonated polyether ether ketone (SPEEK) membrane for fuel cell application. Journal of Polymer Materials, 35(1), 103-118.
Vancouver Style
MURMU R, SUTAR H. Steady state analysis of water transport through sulfonated polyether ether ketone (SPEEK) membrane for fuel cell application. J Polym Materials . 2018;35(1):103-118
IEEE Style
R. MURMU and H. SUTAR, "Steady State Analysis of Water Transport through Sulfonated Polyether Ether Ketone (SPEEK) Membrane for Fuel Cell Application," J. Polym. Materials , vol. 35, no. 1, pp. 103-118. 2018.