Graphene oxide-polybenzimidazolium nanocomposite anion exchange membranes for electrodialysis

Levente Cseri; Joseph Baugh; Adetunji Alabi; Ahmed AlHajaj; Linda Zou; Robert A.W. Dryfe; Peter M. Budd; Gyorgy Szekely

doi:10.1039/C8TA09160A

Graphene oxide-polybenzimidazolium nanocomposite anion exchange membranes for electrodialysis

Levente Cseri, Joseph Baugh, Adetunji Alabi, Ahmed AlHajaj, Linda Zou, Robert A.W. Dryfe, Peter M. Budd^*, Gyorgy Szekely

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

74 Scopus citations

Abstract

Mechanically robust and highly permselective anion exchange membranes (AEMs) were prepared based on a graphene oxide (GO) and polybenzimidazolium nanocomposite. GO was modified via diazonium chemistry for better dispersibility and used to fabricate unsupported, nanocomposite, dense, flat sheet AEMs with different GO loadings. A fabrication route using post-casting methylation was developed to avoid GO aggregation induced by the anion exchange polymer. The even GO distribution in the membranes was mapped by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and wavelength dispersive spectroscopy (WDS). Tensile testing and nanoindentation showed that the AEMs had great mechanical strength indicated by their high ultimate tensile strength and hardness. Furthermore, the AEMs exhibited high ion exchange capacity (1.7-2.1 mmol g⁻¹), good to exceptional permselectivity (up to 0.99) and relatively low area resistance (down to 2.9 Ω cm²). A trade-off between good selectivity and low resistance was investigated for membranes with low GO loadings (0.25-2.5%). The GO nanocomposite AEMs demonstrated excellent potential for electrodialysis.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	24728-24739
Number of pages	12
Journal	Journal of Materials Chemistry A
Volume	6
Issue number	48
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1039/C8TA09160A
State	Published - 2018
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The authors would like to express their gratitude to Dr Patrick Altmaier (PCCell GmbH, Germany) for the electrodialysis measurements, to Ms Hai Anh Le Phuong (School of Materials, The University of Manchester) for AFM measurements, to Mr Pawin Iamprasertkun and Mr Wisit Hirunpinyopas for their help with electrochemical measurements, and to Dr Jonathan Fellowes (School of Earth & Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester) for the EPMA measurements. The authors acknowledge the support from Masdar Institute–Khalifa University of Science and Technology and The University of Manchester through the seed fund of the Graphene Engineering and Innovation Center (SMG2016-000001).

Publisher Copyright:
© The Royal Society of Chemistry.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Chemistry(all)
Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
Materials Science(all)

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1039/C8TA09160A

Cite this

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title = "Graphene oxide-polybenzimidazolium nanocomposite anion exchange membranes for electrodialysis",

abstract = "Mechanically robust and highly permselective anion exchange membranes (AEMs) were prepared based on a graphene oxide (GO) and polybenzimidazolium nanocomposite. GO was modified via diazonium chemistry for better dispersibility and used to fabricate unsupported, nanocomposite, dense, flat sheet AEMs with different GO loadings. A fabrication route using post-casting methylation was developed to avoid GO aggregation induced by the anion exchange polymer. The even GO distribution in the membranes was mapped by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and wavelength dispersive spectroscopy (WDS). Tensile testing and nanoindentation showed that the AEMs had great mechanical strength indicated by their high ultimate tensile strength and hardness. Furthermore, the AEMs exhibited high ion exchange capacity (1.7-2.1 mmol g−1), good to exceptional permselectivity (up to 0.99) and relatively low area resistance (down to 2.9 Ω cm2). A trade-off between good selectivity and low resistance was investigated for membranes with low GO loadings (0.25-2.5%). The GO nanocomposite AEMs demonstrated excellent potential for electrodialysis.",

author = "Levente Cseri and Joseph Baugh and Adetunji Alabi and Ahmed AlHajaj and Linda Zou and Dryfe, {Robert A.W.} and Budd, {Peter M.} and Gyorgy Szekely",

note = "Funding Information: The authors would like to express their gratitude to Dr Patrick Altmaier (PCCell GmbH, Germany) for the electrodialysis measurements, to Ms Hai Anh Le Phuong (School of Materials, The University of Manchester) for AFM measurements, to Mr Pawin Iamprasertkun and Mr Wisit Hirunpinyopas for their help with electrochemical measurements, and to Dr Jonathan Fellowes (School of Earth & Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester) for the EPMA measurements. The authors acknowledge the support from Masdar Institute–Khalifa University of Science and Technology and The University of Manchester through the seed fund of the Graphene Engineering and Innovation Center (SMG2016-000001). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Royal Society of Chemistry.",

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AU - Cseri, Levente

AU - Baugh, Joseph

AU - Alabi, Adetunji

AU - AlHajaj, Ahmed

AU - Zou, Linda

AU - Dryfe, Robert A.W.

AU - Budd, Peter M.

AU - Szekely, Gyorgy

N1 - Funding Information: The authors would like to express their gratitude to Dr Patrick Altmaier (PCCell GmbH, Germany) for the electrodialysis measurements, to Ms Hai Anh Le Phuong (School of Materials, The University of Manchester) for AFM measurements, to Mr Pawin Iamprasertkun and Mr Wisit Hirunpinyopas for their help with electrochemical measurements, and to Dr Jonathan Fellowes (School of Earth & Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester) for the EPMA measurements. The authors acknowledge the support from Masdar Institute–Khalifa University of Science and Technology and The University of Manchester through the seed fund of the Graphene Engineering and Innovation Center (SMG2016-000001). Publisher Copyright: © The Royal Society of Chemistry.

PY - 2018

Y1 - 2018

N2 - Mechanically robust and highly permselective anion exchange membranes (AEMs) were prepared based on a graphene oxide (GO) and polybenzimidazolium nanocomposite. GO was modified via diazonium chemistry for better dispersibility and used to fabricate unsupported, nanocomposite, dense, flat sheet AEMs with different GO loadings. A fabrication route using post-casting methylation was developed to avoid GO aggregation induced by the anion exchange polymer. The even GO distribution in the membranes was mapped by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and wavelength dispersive spectroscopy (WDS). Tensile testing and nanoindentation showed that the AEMs had great mechanical strength indicated by their high ultimate tensile strength and hardness. Furthermore, the AEMs exhibited high ion exchange capacity (1.7-2.1 mmol g−1), good to exceptional permselectivity (up to 0.99) and relatively low area resistance (down to 2.9 Ω cm2). A trade-off between good selectivity and low resistance was investigated for membranes with low GO loadings (0.25-2.5%). The GO nanocomposite AEMs demonstrated excellent potential for electrodialysis.

AB - Mechanically robust and highly permselective anion exchange membranes (AEMs) were prepared based on a graphene oxide (GO) and polybenzimidazolium nanocomposite. GO was modified via diazonium chemistry for better dispersibility and used to fabricate unsupported, nanocomposite, dense, flat sheet AEMs with different GO loadings. A fabrication route using post-casting methylation was developed to avoid GO aggregation induced by the anion exchange polymer. The even GO distribution in the membranes was mapped by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and wavelength dispersive spectroscopy (WDS). Tensile testing and nanoindentation showed that the AEMs had great mechanical strength indicated by their high ultimate tensile strength and hardness. Furthermore, the AEMs exhibited high ion exchange capacity (1.7-2.1 mmol g−1), good to exceptional permselectivity (up to 0.99) and relatively low area resistance (down to 2.9 Ω cm2). A trade-off between good selectivity and low resistance was investigated for membranes with low GO loadings (0.25-2.5%). The GO nanocomposite AEMs demonstrated excellent potential for electrodialysis.

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Graphene oxide-polybenzimidazolium nanocomposite anion exchange membranes for electrodialysis

Abstract

Bibliographical note

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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