title: Chitosan/silica coated carbon nanotubes composite proton exchange membranes for fuel cell applications.
abstract: Silica-coated carbon nanotubes (SCNTs), which were obtained by a simple sol-gel method, were utilized in preparation of chitosan/SCNTs (CS/SCNTs) composite membranes. The thermal and oxidative stability, morphology, mechanical properties, water uptake and proton conductivity of CS/SCNTs composite membranes were investigated. The insulated and hydrophilic silica layer coated on CNTs eliminates the risk of electronic short-circuiting and enhances the interaction between SCNTs and chitosan to ensure the homogenous dispersion of SCNTs, although the water uptake of CS/SCNTs membranes is reduced owing to the decrease of the effective number of the amino functional groups of chitosan. The CS/SCNTs composite membranes are superior to the pure CS membrane in thermal and oxidative stability, mechanical properties and proton conductivity. The results of this study suggest that CS/SCNTs composite membranes exhibit promising potential for practical application in proton exchange membranes.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemistry and Material Science, Hubei Engineering University, Xiaogan, Hubei 432000, China; Hubei Co-Innovation Center for Utilization of Biomass Waste, Hubei Engineering University, Xiaogan, Hubei 432000, China. Electronic address: liuhai_218@163.com.
authors.forename: Hai
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemistry and Material Science, Hubei Engineering University, Xiaogan, Hubei 432000, China; Hubei Co-Innovation Center for Utilization of Biomass Waste, Hubei Engineering University, Xiaogan, Hubei 432000, China.
authors.forename: Chunli
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemistry and Material Science, Hubei Engineering University, Xiaogan, Hubei 432000, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemistry and Material Science, Hubei Engineering University, Xiaogan, Hubei 432000, China.
authors.forename: Huanli
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemistry and Material Science, Hubei Engineering University, Xiaogan, Hubei 432000, China.
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemistry and Material Science, Hubei Engineering University, Xiaogan, Hubei 432000, China.
authors.forename: Guangjin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemistry and Material Science, Hubei Engineering University, Xiaogan, Hubei 432000, China.
authors.forename: Genwen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemistry and Material Science, Hubei Engineering University, Xiaogan, Hubei 432000, China; Hubei Co-Innovation Center for Utilization of Biomass Waste, Hubei Engineering University, Xiaogan, Hubei 432000, China.
authors.forename: Caiqin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Chemistry and Material Science, Hubei Engineering University, Xiaogan, Hubei 432000, China.
authors.forename: Sheng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wen
mesh_terms: D048271:Chitosan / Q000737:chemistry*; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D055595:Mechanical Phenomena; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D011522:Protons; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D013696:Temperature; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D011522:Protons; D014867:Water; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D048271:Chitosan
keywords: Chitosan; Dispersion; Proton exchange membrane; Silica-coated carbon nanotubes