Semnan University Press Applied Chemistry Today 2981-2437 13 49 2018 12 22 Composite membranes for proton exchange membrane fuel cells based on methyl methacrylate-co-maleimide /phosphotungstic acid Composite membranes for proton exchange membrane fuel cells based on methyl methacrylate-co-maleimide /phosphotungstic acid 65 78 3296 10.22075/chem.2018.13499.1311 FA Zahra Seidzadeh Department of Chemistry, Malek-ashtar University of Technology, Shahin-shahr, 83145/115 I. R., Iran Fariborz Atabaki Negin Ghaemi Department of Chemical Engineering, Kermanshah University of Technology, 67178 Kermanshah, Iran Mohammad Nasiri Department of Chemistry, Malek-ashtar University of Technology, Shahin-shahr, 83145/115 I. R., Iran Journal Article 2018 01 01 Poly(methyl methacrylate-co-nitrophenyl maleimide) (MMA-co-NMI) and poly(methyl‌‌‌‌ methacrylate-co-hydroxyphenyl maleimide)‌‌‌‌‌ (MMA-co-HMI) copolymers were synthesized using free radical polymerization of MMA with a new MI monomer containing phenyl and –NO2 groups. Proton exchange membrane fuel cell(PEMFC) were prepared using these copolymers as membrane matrix and phosphotungstic acid (PWA) as proton conductive additive. Dry-phase inversion method was employed to fabricate membranes with different concentrations of copolymers and PWA. Characteristics and proton conductivity of membranes were investigated using FTIR, SEM, TGA, DTG, DSC, ion exchange capacity, water uptake, and proton conductivity tests. Results revealed an increment in the thermal stability as well as ion exchange capacity of composite membranes prepared by addition of PWA. Moreover, applying MMA-co-HMI as copolymer and PWA as additive remarkably improved the proton conductivity of membrane (2.6×10−1 S.cm−1) due to the interaction between the functional groups of PWA (H3O+ ions, O atoms) and MMA-co-HMI copolymer (OH, C=O functional groups). Poly(methyl methacrylate-co-nitrophenyl maleimide) (MMA-co-NMI) and poly(methyl‌‌‌‌ methacrylate-co-hydroxyphenyl maleimide)‌‌‌‌‌ (MMA-co-HMI) copolymers were synthesized using free radical polymerization of MMA with a new MI monomer containing phenyl and –NO2 groups. Proton exchange membrane fuel cell(PEMFC) were prepared using these copolymers as membrane matrix and phosphotungstic acid (PWA) as proton conductive additive. Dry-phase inversion method was employed to fabricate membranes with different concentrations of copolymers and PWA. Characteristics and proton conductivity of membranes were investigated using FTIR, SEM, TGA, DTG, DSC, ion exchange capacity, water uptake, and proton conductivity tests. Results revealed an increment in the thermal stability as well as ion exchange capacity of composite membranes prepared by addition of PWA. Moreover, applying MMA-co-HMI as copolymer and PWA as additive remarkably improved the proton conductivity of membrane (2.6×10−1 S.cm−1) due to the interaction between the functional groups of PWA (H3O+ ions, O atoms) and MMA-co-HMI copolymer (OH, C=O functional groups). https://chemistry.semnan.ac.ir/article_3296_df51b5a4c4fdc5670cc85f9f2a5290c9.pdf