Fuzzy Best-Worst Multiple Criteria Decision Making Method for Selection of Membrane in H2/O2 PEM Fuel Cells

Selection of the proper materials for polymeric products is a challenging work that attracted much attention. The present study aims to represent a decision-making approach to provide a suitable selection under fuzzy environment for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell. The alternatives were twocomposite membranes containing non-sulfonated electrospun poly(ether ketone) fibers in highly sulfonated poly(ether ketone) matrix, and a highly sulfonated poly(ether ketone) film prepared by routine solution casting. The fuzzy best-worst method (FBWM), together with the technique for orderpreference by similarity to ideal solutions (TOPSIS), was used for ranking the alternatives in this study. The criteria were current density, ion exchange capacity (IEC), water uptake, hydration number, proton conductivity, and tensile strength of membranes. The ranking showed that the cast film form of highly sulfonated membrane possessed a better rank compared to composite membranes containing highly sulfonated polymer and non-sulfonated electrospun fibers. Between composite membranes, the one with a higher amount of electrospun fibers took a better rank.

Keywords:

fuzzy BWM , multiple criteria decision making , TOPSIS , fuel cell membrane , poly(ether ketone).