title: Preparation and Characterization of Nanocomposite Polymer Membranes Containing Functionalized SnO2 Additives.
abstract: In the research of new nanocomposite proton-conducting membranes, SnO2 ceramic powders with surface functionalization have been synthesized and adopted as additives in Nafion-based polymer systems. Different synthetic routes have been explored to obtain suitable, nanometer-sized sulphated tin oxide particles. Structural and morphological characteristics, as well as surface and bulk properties of the obtained oxide powders, have been determined by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopies, N2 adsorption, and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). In addition, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), atomic force microscopy (AFM), thermal investigations, water uptake (WU) measurements, and ionic exchange capacity (IEC) tests have been used as characterization tools for the nanocomposite membranes. The nature of the tin oxide precursor, as well as the synthesis procedure, were found to play an important role in determining the morphology and the particle size distribution of the ceramic powder, this affecting the effective functionalization of the oxides. The incorporation of such particles, having sulphate groups on their surface, altered some peculiar properties of the resulting composite membrane, such as water content, thermo-mechanical, and morphological characteristics.
authors: Dipartimento di Chimica, Sapienza Università di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Roma, Italy. roberto.scipioni@live.it.
authors: Roberto
authors: R
authors: Scipioni
authors: Dipartimento di Chimica, Sapienza Università di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Roma, Italy. delia.gazzoli@uniroma1.it.
authors: Delia
authors: D
authors: Gazzoli
authors: Centro di Ricerca Hydro-Eco, Sapienza Università di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Roma, Italy. fteocoli@gmail.com.
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: Teocoli
authors: Istituto dei Sistemi Complessi-Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche-ISC-CNR U.O.S. Sapienza, Piazzale A. Moro 5, 00185 Roma, Italy. oriele.palumbo@roma1.infn.it.
authors: Oriele
authors: O
authors: Palumbo
authors: Istituto dei Sistemi Complessi-Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche-ISC-CNR U.O.S. Sapienza, Piazzale A. Moro 5, 00185 Roma, Italy. annalisa.paolone@roma1.infn.it.
authors: Annalisa
authors: A
authors: Paolone
authors: Dipartimento di Scienze, Università della Basilicata, Viale dell'Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy. neluta.ibris@unibas.it.
authors: Neluta
authors: N
authors: Ibris
authors: Istituto dei Sistemi Complessi-Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche-ISC-CNR U.O.S. Sapienza, Piazzale A. Moro 5, 00185 Roma, Italy. neluta.ibris@unibas.it.
authors: Sergio
authors: S
authors: Brutti
authors: Dipartimento di Chimica, Sapienza Università di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Roma, Italy. mariassunta.navarra@uniroma1.it.
authors: Maria Assunta
authors: MA
authors: Navarra