Preparation and Characterization of Poly(vinyl alcohol)-based Anion Exchange Membranes

Abstract

Anion exchange membranes (AEMs) play an important role in improving the performance and efficiency of anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs). A sequence of composite anion exchange membranes (AEMs) consisting of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) as a backbone polymer and different approaches for introducing functional groups has been prepared by a solution casting method. The performance of composite AEMs was evaluated using water uptake, swelling degree, and OH- conductivity measurement. QPVA/PDDA composite AEMs acquired the highest hydroxide conductivity, water uptake, and swelling degree. This study demonstrates that the PVA-based AEMs has the potential for fuel cell application.