polyelectrolyte membrane based on chitosan blend for direct methanol fuel cell application

For direct methanol fuel cell applications, a polyelectrolyte membrane comprising bio-based chitosan and nafion was prepared and investigated. in order to thoroughly analyze the electrochemical properties of the prepared blend membrane, a series of tests, including proton conductivity, methanol permeability, and performance, were conducted. it showed high proton conductivity (0.06 s.cm-1), relatively low methanol permeability (1.60×10-6 cm2.s-1) and great selectivity. the dmfc cell containing this pem showed maximum power density of 39.32 mw.cm-2 at the current density of 319.48 ma.cm-2 for 5m methanol concentration. overall, we can conclude that the prepared blend membrane is a great candidate for use in dmfcs.