Preparation and characterization of quaternized poly(vinyl alcohol)/chitosan/MoS2 composite anion exchange membranes with high selectivity

Abstract In this study, a series of novel quaternized poly(vinyl alcohol)/chitosan/molybdenum disulfide (QPVA/CS/MoS 2 ) anion exchange membranes (AEMs) were prepared for direct methanol alkaline fuel cell (DMAFC). The composite membrane was synthesized by adding different amounts of MoS 2 nanosheets (0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.5 and 1 wt%) into QPVA/CS mixture solution and using the solution casting method. The crystallinity, thermal and mechanical properties, ion conductivity and resistance to methanol of the QPVA/CS/MoS 2 membranes were characterized by X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, tensile testing, ion exchange capacity, and methanol permeability measurements, respectively. The MoS 2 was homogeneously dispersed in the membranes. The mechanical strength of the composite membranes was enhanced with the addition of MoS 2 . With the addition of 1.0 wt% MoS 2 , the QPVA/CS/MoS 2 composite membrane has the lowest methanol permeability of 0.210 × 10 −7  cm 2 ·s −1 . This study confirmed that the novel QPVA/CS/MoS 2 membrane would be a potential candidate for the application in DMAFCs.