A novel membrane for DMFC - Na2Ti3O7 nanotubes/Nafion® composite membrane

In this study, novel sodium titanate (Na2Ti3O7) nanotube/Nafion® composite membranes were prepared by a solution casting method. The properties of these composite membranes were studied using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Additionally, the water uptake, methanol permeability, proton conductivity, and selectivity of the composite membranes were measured to evaluate the applicability of these membranes in DMFCs. It was found that the addition of Na2Ti3O7 nanotubes enhanced the water uptake and reduced the methanol permeability of the composite membranes. The proton conductivity and methanol permeability depend on the Na2Ti3O7 nanotube content. Using the selectivity, the optimal nanotube contents was found to be 5 wt%. The new composite membrane was found to have significantly higher selectivity than a pure Nafion® membrane and thus has good potential to outperform Nafion® in DMFCs.