Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences
Vol 20 No 4 (2016): 885 - 891
DOI:
http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/mjas-2016-2004-24
SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERISATION OF CHITOSAN-CELLULOSE BIOCOMPOSITE
MEMBRANE FOR FUEL CELL APPLICATIONS
(Sintesis dan Pencirian Membran Biokomposit Kitosan-Selulosa untuk
Aplikasi Sel Bahan Api)
Nur Fatin Ab. Rahman1,
Kee Shyuan Loh1*, Abu Bakar Mohamad1,2, Abdul Amir Hassan
Kadhum1,2,
Kean Long Lim1
1Fuel Cell
Institute
2Department of
Chemical and Process Engineering
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600
UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
*Corresponding author: ksloh@ukm.edu.my
Received: 5
February 2016; Accepted: 22 April 2016
Abstract
In this work, proton exchange membranes
(PEMs) based on chitosan (CS) and cellulose (CL) have been prepared using a
solution-casting technique with sulfosuccinic acid (SSA) as an ionic cross
linker. The characteristics of these CS-CL biocomposite membranes were studied
using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared
spectroscopy (FTIR), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in addition
to the measurement of the water uptake rate (WUR) and the ion exchange capacity
(IEC). The results indicate that the amount of SSA used in this study played a
significant role in the proton conduction of the membrane. The proton
conductivity of a cross-linked CS-CL membrane was on the order of 10-5 S cm-1, which is
greater than the proton conductivity of a pure CS membrane.
Keywords: proton exchange membranes, chitosan, cellulose, biocomposite,
membrane
Abstrak
Dalam kajian ini, membran penukaran
proton (PEM) berasaskan kitosan (CS) dan selulosa (CL) telah disediakan dengan
menggunakan teknik tuangan larutan bersama dengan asid sulfosusinik (SSA) yang
berfungsi sebagai pemaut silang ion. Sifat membran biokomposit CS-CL ini dikaji
menggunakan mikroskopik pengimbas elektron (SEM), spektroskopi inframerah
transformasi Fourier (FTIR), spektrometer elektrokimia impedans (EIS) sebagai
tambahan kepada pengukuran kadar penyerapan air (WUR) dan kapasiti penukaran
ion (IEC). Keputusan menunjukkan bahawa jumlah SSA digunakan dalam kajian ini
memainkan peranan penting dalam pengangkutan proton di dalam membran.
Kekonduksian proton untuk CS-CL bertaut silang membran yang diperoleh adalah di
dalam lingkungan 10-5 S cm-1,
iaitu lebih tinggi berbanding dengan kekonduksian proton membran CS tulen.
Kata kunci: membran
penukaran proton, kitosan, selulosa, biokomposit, membran
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