Production and Characterization of Novel PEMFC Nanocomposite Membranes Including Boron Nanoparticles

In this study, water absorption, methanol permeation and proton conductivity values of nano composite proton conducting membrane based on nafion, phosphoric acid and hexagonal boron nitride with various stochiometric ratios are investigated and membrane characterizations are made throughout this study. Ternary composite membranes are prepared by mixing Nafion with nano hexagonal boron nitride (NhBN) particles varied 3, 5 and 10% weight ratios and phosphoric acid varied 10 and 20% molar ratios respectively. According to the results of methanol permeability and water absorption investigations, it has been observed that hydrophobic NhBN particles increase the water absorption and methanol permeability of the membranes while phosphoric acid enhances these properties. Under anhydrous conditions at 150°C, higher ionic conductivity values are obtained than pure Nafion such as 0.056 S/cm for membranes that contain %20 phosphoric acid molarly and %3 BN weight ratios