(EFFECTS OF POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL ON CHARACTERISTIC OF SULFONATED POLYSTYRENE MEMBRANE ISOLATED FROM STYROFOAM WASTE)

• Main Author: Azka, Ghilman
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Subjects: Kimia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/34711
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Abstract Styrofoam wastes are materials that are not easily degraded by microorganisms in nature. They require many years to decompose these waste. Meanwhile, the degradation of Styrofoam by using a heating requires a high enough temperature. This causes the accumulation of Styrofoam waste in the environment. Therefore, we need a way to overcome this problem. One way to reduce the buildup of this waste is to utilize styrofoam waste to be used as a raw material for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell. Polystyrene that is as the principal material constituent of Styrofoam, so it can be obtained by isolation styrofoam waste, and followed by sulfonation using acetyl sulfate to obtain a sulfonated polystyrene (SPS). SPS is one of the polymer electrolyte membrane materials for fuel cells. PSS can be used as electrolyte membranes for fuel cells, but it is easily broken or pure SPS membrane has poor mechanical properties. To overcome this problem, in this study has attempted the preparation of polymer electrolyte membranes by blending SPS and polyethylene glycol (PEG) in various compositions (2.5%, 5%, 7.5% and 10%). The addition of PEG is expected to improve the mechanical strength of the membrane. The polymer electrolyte membranes of SPS-PEG were characterized by functional group analysis (FTIR), proton conductivity (EIS), ion-exchange capacity (titration), the degree of swelling, mechanical properties (Tensile tester), and surface analysis (SEM). Based on the results analysis showed that the polymer electrolyte membrane of SPS-PEG with PEG ratio of 7.5% has the optimum conductivity value, while the polymer electrolyte having the highest ion-exchange capacity was observed in the membrane with PEG composition of 10 %. On the other hand, the addition of PEG into the polymer electrolyte membrane does not change the mechanical properties significantly.