Production and characterization of sulfonated chitosan-calcium oxide composite membrane as a proton exchange fuel cell membrane

The present communication reports the preparation of a sulfonated chitosan-calcium oxide (CaO) composite membrane to be used as a fuel cell proton exchange membrane. CaO addition 0, 10,15, 20, 25 and 30 %. Production of membranes was done by mixing dope of A chitosan solution is doped with CaO powder of varying concentration (0 %, 10 %,15 %, 20 %, 25 % and 30 %). The crosslinking process is carried out with the participation of 0,005 % glutaraldehyde, while the sulfonation proceeds in 0.72 N H₂SO₄. The membrane's ionic and swelling capacity is determined, the functional groups present are identified by FTIR, while the membrane morphology is elucidated by SEM. Methanol permeability and proton conductivity tests are also carried out. The optimal production of sulfonation chitosan-calcium oxide composite membrane at the addition The optimum characteristics obtained in presence of 25 % CaO refer to ionic exchange capacity of 1.517 meq/g, swelling of 28.207 %, methanol permeability of 1.211 × 10^-4 kg/m²s, and proton conductivity of 6.415 × 10^-5 S/cm.