Synthesis and Characterization of Chitosan, Sulfated Chitosan and Chitosan-Polysulfone Composite Membrane for Fuel Cell Application

• Main Author: CHAIRUNA (NIM 10505041), ANNISA
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/11834
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Electrolyte membrane is one of the main components of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) which determine the performance of the cells as energy sources. Chitosan membrane has a potential as a fuel cell membrane; however, the conductivity is lower than Nafion. Therefore, in order to improve its performance, chitosan membrane has to be modified. In this research, the chitosan is modified to sulfated chitosan by using chlorosulfonic acid (HClSO3) in a 490 Watt microwave oven. Two kinds of chitosanpolysulfone composite membranes were also prepared, either by casting or hot-press method at 130oC. The resulting membranes showed that the casting method produced composite membranes with better compatibility than the hot-press one. Various characterizations showed that the properties of the modified membranes are better than the original chitosan. The proton conductivity of sulfated chitosan and composite membrane are 8.203 x 10-3 S/cm and 2.695 x 10-3 S/cm, while the permeability toward methanol are 2.40 x 10-4 cm2/s and 2.82 x 10-3 cm2/s, respectively. Based on these results, it can be concluded that the sulfated chitosan has better properties as fuel cell membrane since it has higher conductivity and ion exchange capacity but lower permeability toward methanol than the chitosan-polysulfone composite. However, thermal analysis using Thermogravimetry/Differential Thermal Analysis (TG/DTA) method showed that composite membrane has higher thermal stability than the sulfated chitosan one.