Membran Komposit Kitosan-Natrium Alginat untuk Aplikasi Direct Methanol Fuel Cell

Abstract

Composite of chitosan and sodium alginate can be utilized as base material of proton exchange membrane (PEM). The composite membranes were produced by various concentrations of chitosan-sodium alginate, namely 3:3, 3:4, 3:5, 3:6, 4:3, 5:3, and 6:3 (% b/v). The composites were characterized by using Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and were tested for the performance as PEM from the proton conductivity obtained by using impedance spectrometer. The FTIR spectrum indicated the NH3C group at 1637.29 cm-1 and symmetrical COO group at 1253.68 cm-1 indicating interactions between chitosan and sodium alginate. SEM micrographs showed that the composite membrane was nonporous. Composite membrane with 3:5 chitosan-sodium alginate composition had the highest proton conductivity, namely 9.594 × 10-7 S/cm. Based on this research results, chitosan-sodium alginate composite membrane can be applied well in direct methanol fuel cell system.