Sharif Digital Repository

Polyaniline fiber (PANI) was synthesized by chemical interfacial method and doped with para toluene sulfonic acid (PTSA) through a sequential doping-dedoping-redoping process resulting in PANI-PTSA. The doped material was utilized to fabricate Vulcan-polyaniline composite of C-PANI-PTSA. Next, through reduction, Pt particles were deposited on to this composite to produce a Pt/C-PANI-PTSA electrocatalyst. To investigate the PANI-PTSA interaction with the carbon support as well as, to consider its effect upon the catalytic activity of Pt/C-PANI-PTSA, electrocatalysts with different ratios of 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 wt% were synthesized and their activity was compared with the Pt/C (Electrochem).... 

In this paper, a two-dimensional, two-phase, non-isothermal model is presented to predict the electrochemical, mass transfer and heat transfer behaviors in a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC). Governing equations including the momentum, continuity, heat transfer, proton and electron transport, species transport for water, methanol, and all the gas species (carbon dioxide, methanol vapor, water vapor, oxygen, and nitrogen) and the auxiliary equations are coupled to studying the various phenomena in DMFC. The modeling results agree well with the four different experimental data in an extensive range of operation conditions. A parametric study is also performed to examine the effects of the cell... 

In the present research, proton exchange membranes based on partially sulfonated poly (ether sulfone) (S-PES) with various degrees of sulfonation were synthesized. It was found that the increasing of sulfonation degree up to 40% results in the enhancement of water uptake, ion exchange capacity and proton conductivity properties of the prepared membranes to 28.1%, 1.59 meq g -1, and 0.145 S cm -1, respectively. Afterwards, nanocomposite membranes based on S-PES (at the predetermined optimum sulfonation degree) containing various loading weights of organically treated montmorillonite (OMMT) were prepared via the solution intercalation technique. X-ray diffraction patterns revealed the... 

In this paper, a two-dimensional, two-phase, isothermal model is presented to investigate the water transport characteristic and water distribution in a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) with emphasis on exploring the water distribution in different layers of DMFC. The liquid-gas two-phase mass transport in the porous anode and cathode is formulated based on multi-fluid model in porous media and water and methanol crossover through the membrane are considered with the effect of diffusion, electro-osmotic drag, and convection. The modeling results agree well with the three different experimental data in an extensive range of operation conditions. A parametric study is also performed to examine... 

The preparation and characterization of a new type of nanocomposite polyelectrolyte membrane, based on DuPont Nafion/imidazole-modified nanosilica (Im-Si), for direct methanol fuel cell applications is described. Related to the interactions between the protonated imidazole groups, grafted on the surface of nanosilica, and negatively charged sulfonic acid groups of Nafion, new electrostatic interactions can be formed in the interface of Nafion and Im-Si which result in both lower methanol permeability and also higher proton conductivity. Physical characteristics of these manufactured nanocomposite membranes were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetry analysis,... 

Gas diffusion layers are essential components of proton exchange membrane fuel cell since the reactants should pass through these layers. Mass transport in these layers is highly dependent on porosity. Many of simulations have assumed, for simplicity, the porosity of GDL is constant, but in practice, there is a considerable variation in porosity along gas diffusion layers. In the present study the porosity variation in GDL is calculated by considering the applied pressure and the amount of water generated in the cell. A two dimensional mathematical model is developed to investigate the effect of stack compression and water generation on porosity of GDL and cell performance. The validity of... 

The present study reports a simple electrochemical approach to the fabrication of a new nanocomposite containing PtPd nanoflowers (NFs) promoted with two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets (NSs) structure cuprous oxide (Cu2O) supported on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) (PtPd-NFs/Cu2O-NSs/rGO). Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectra, Raman spectroscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy are used for characterization of the PtPd-NPs/Cu2O-NPs/rGO. SEM images showed that vertical-standing arrays of Cu2O with an edge length up to 1 μm and thickness of about 20 nm are electrodeposited on the surface of rGO film. Also, PtPd needle-like NFs with visible and...