TY - JOUR
T1 - Cellulose Nanocrystals Crosslinked with Sulfosuccinic Acid as Sustainable Proton Exchange Membranes for Electrochemical Energy Applications
AU - Selyanchyn, Olena
AU - Bayer, Thomas
AU - Klotz, Dino
AU - Selyanchyn, Roman
AU - Sasaki, Kazunari
AU - Lyth, Stephen Matthew
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) through the “Center of Innovation Science and Technology based Radical Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program” (COI Program, Grant No. JPMJCE1318). The World Premier International Research Center Initiative, (WPI), is sponsored by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT). O. Selyanchyn acknowledges the support of JST SPRING, Grant Number JPMJSP2136 and Kyushu University Platform of Inter/Transdisciplinary Energy Research Support Program for Doctoral Students. R. Selyanchyn acknowledges the Japan Society for Promotion of Science (JSPS) for a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research C (no. JP22K04806).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
PY - 2022/7
Y1 - 2022/7
N2 - Nanocellulose is a sustainable material which holds promise for many energy-related applications. Here, nanocrystalline cellulose is used to prepare proton exchange membranes (PEMs). Normally, this nanomaterial is highly dispersible in water, preventing its use as an ionomer in many electrochemical applications. To solve this, we utilized a sulfonic acid crosslinker to simultaneously improve the mechanical robustness, water-stability, and proton conductivity (by introducing-SO3− H+ functional groups). The optimization of the proportion of crosslinker used and the crosslinking reaction time resulted in enhanced proton conductivity up to 15 mS/cm (in the fully hydrated state, at 120◦ C). Considering the many advantages, we believe that nanocellulose can act as a sustainable and low-cost alternative to conventional, ecologically problematic, perfluorosulfonic acid ionomers for applications in, e. fuel cells and electrolyzers.
AB - Nanocellulose is a sustainable material which holds promise for many energy-related applications. Here, nanocrystalline cellulose is used to prepare proton exchange membranes (PEMs). Normally, this nanomaterial is highly dispersible in water, preventing its use as an ionomer in many electrochemical applications. To solve this, we utilized a sulfonic acid crosslinker to simultaneously improve the mechanical robustness, water-stability, and proton conductivity (by introducing-SO3− H+ functional groups). The optimization of the proportion of crosslinker used and the crosslinking reaction time resulted in enhanced proton conductivity up to 15 mS/cm (in the fully hydrated state, at 120◦ C). Considering the many advantages, we believe that nanocellulose can act as a sustainable and low-cost alternative to conventional, ecologically problematic, perfluorosulfonic acid ionomers for applications in, e. fuel cells and electrolyzers.
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U2 - 10.3390/membranes12070658
DO - 10.3390/membranes12070658
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85133336881
SN - 2077-0375
VL - 12
JO - Membranes
JF - Membranes
IS - 7
M1 - 658
ER -