Sintesis dan Karakterisasi Membran Polistirena Terfluorinasi untuk nnnnnnnDirect Methanol Fuel Cell

Abstract

One of common energy resources is direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC), which use methanol as fuel. The important component in DMFC is proton exchange membrane. The study used fluorinated polystyrene membrane (PSf) as proton exchange membrane through fluorination process. PSf membrane was made with PSf concentration of 5%, 10%, and 15 %. Fluorination has caused change of membrane physical properties with presence of pores in the membranes. The best water uptake was shown by PSf 5% that is 11.07%. Membrane activation increased the proton conductivity from 0.52 × 10-7 S/cm to 0.54 × 10-7 S/cm for polysryrene (PS) and 0.44 × 10-7 S/cm to 0.69× 10-7 S/cm for the PSf. Qualitative test of methanol permeability showed good result with dry underneath the surface of membrane because methanol did not pass through the membrane. In DMFC system, proton conductivity of the PSf membrane is higher than that of PS membrane, while variation of conductivity from PSf membranes is caused by gaps at the PSf membranes.