Preparation and Properties of Poly(Vinyl Alcohol)-Based Membrane Containing Montmorillonite Modified with Sulfonated Polymers

2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propane sulfonic acid (AMPS) and styrene sulfonic acid sodium salt (SSA) as sulfonated monomers were grafted onto the aminated montmorillonite nanoparticle (AMMT) via redox polymerization where Ce (IV)/alkyl amine was used as a redox system. Grafting amounts of the sulfonated polymers onto the MMT were estimated from thermogravimetry analysis curves to be 28.8% and 14.4% for PAMPS and PSSA, respectively. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-based membrane containing pristine MMT and MMT nanoparticles grafted with sulfonated polymers were prepared via solution casting and then cross-linked by glutaraldehyde solution. Prepared polymer electrolyte membranes (PEMs) were then characterized by impedance spectroscopy and water uptake. It was found that proton conductivity and water uptake of the PEMs improve with incorporating of the modified MMT. In comparison with PEM based on the pure PVA, proton conductivity and water uptake increased from 0.078 to 9.06 mS/cm and from 48 to 56.6% for PEM based on the PVA containing 10 wt% of the MMT modified with PAMPS

Keywords:

Polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) , nanocomposite membrane , montmorillonite nanoparticle (MMT) , poly(vinyl alcohol) , sulfonated monomers