title: Novel Composite PEM with Long-Range Ionic Nanochannels Induced by Carbon Nanotube/Graphene Oxide Nanoribbon Composites.
abstract: In the current study, carbon nanotube/graphene oxide nanoribbon (CNT/GONR) composites were obtained via a chemical "unzipping" method. Then novel CNT/GONR Nafion composite proton exchange membranes (PEMs) were prepared via a blending method. The CNT/GONR nanocomposites induce the adjustment of (-SO3-)nionic clusters in Nafion matrix to construct long-range ionic nanochannels and keep the activity of ionic clusters at the same time. This dramatically promotes the proton transport of the CNT/GONR Nafion composite PEMs at low humidity and high temperature. The proton conductivity of the composite PEM with 0.5 wt % CNT/GONR is as high as 0.18 S·cm-1at 120 °C and 40%RH, nine times of recast Nafion (0.02 S·cm-1) at the same conditions. The 1D/2D nanostructure of CNT/GONR nanocomposite also contributes to restrain the methanol permeability of CNT/GONR Nafion. The composite PEM shows a one-order-of-magnitude decrease (2.84 × 10-09cm2·s-1) in methanol permeability at 40 °C. Therefore, incorporation of this 1D/2D nanocomposite into Nafion PEM is a feasible pathway to conquer the trade-off effect between proton conductivity and methanol resistance.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Collaborative Innovation Center of Polymers and Polymer Composite Materials, Department of Macromolecular Science, Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Fudan University , Shanghai 200433, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Collaborative Innovation Center of Polymers and Polymer Composite Materials, Department of Macromolecular Science, Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Fudan University , Shanghai 200433, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Beibei
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Collaborative Innovation Center of Polymers and Polymer Composite Materials, Department of Macromolecular Science, Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Fudan University , Shanghai 200433, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Peiyi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wu
keywords: 1D/2D; CNT/GONR nanocomposite; Nafion; PEM; ionic nanochannel