The MMT/MCNTs/sPEEK Nanocomposite Membrane for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells
The montmorillonite (MMT)/multi walled carbon nanotube (MCNTs)/sulfonated polyether ether ketone (sPEEK) nanocomposite membrane were prepared by a method of solution casting for fuel cells application.The MMT and MCNTs were modified with sodium sulfanilateand poly (styrene sulfonic acid) (PSSA), respectively. The proton conductivity of theas-prepared membranes containing 0.5wt.% PSSA grafted MCNTs (PSS-g-MCNTs) and 0.5wt.% sulfonatedmontmorillonite (sMMT) increased by 0.013 Scm−1compared to the plain sPEEK.The tensile strength and yield strength of which increased by 34.37MPa and 34.20MPa relative to the 1.0 wt.% PSS-g-MCNTs loaded sPEEK, which indicated that PSS-g-MCNTs and sMMT may generate a proton conducting cocontinuous networkwithin the SPEEK matrix.