The detection of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) and ethanediamine, toxic gases that are emitted from industrial processes, is important for health and safety. An optical sensor, based on the absorption spectrum of tetrakis(4-nitrophenyl)porphyrin (TNPP) immobilized in a Nafion membrane (Nf) and deposited onto an optical waveguide glass slide, has been developed for the detection of these gases. Respons...

The properties of confined water and diffusive proton-transfer kinetics in the nanoscopic water channels of Nafion fuel cell membranes at various hydration levels are compared to water in a series of well-characterized AOT reverse micelles with known water nanopool sizes using the photoacid pyranine as a molecular probe. The side chains of Nafion are terminated by sulfonate groups with sodium c...

Proton transfer and local structures in 3M (EW 825) and Nafion (EW 890) membranes are investigated in this study by both standard nonreactive molecular dynamics and the self-consistent iterative multistate empirical valence bond method, which is capable of simulating multiple reactive protons and accounting for the Grotthuss mechanism of proton transport. The Nafion and 3M systems have the same...

Cu-based gas diffusion electrodes (GDE) show excellent performance in the electrochemical reduction of CO2 to ethylene. In present work, we evaluate how solvent ink formulations containing Nafion-ionomer and unsupported Cu particles affects polymerized Nafion-copper distribution as-prepared GDE obtained CO2. Isopropanol (IPA), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), ethylene glycol (EG), or N-methyl-2-pyrro...

The selective preparation of monobenzyl glyceryl ethers, which are potential commodity chemicals with special functions, was explored to find new applications for glycerol. Among the acid catalysts investigated (sulfuric acid, heteropoly acid, Nafion(R), and zeolite), Zeolite Socony Mobil-5 (ZSM-5) afforded better results. The reaction of equimolar amounts of glycerol and benzyl alcohol at 150º...

Cathode catalysts and binders were examined for their effect on power densities in single chamber, air-cathode, microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Chronopotentiometry tests indicated thatthe cathode potential was only slightly reduced (20-40 mV) when Pt loadings were decreased from 2 to 0.1 mg cm(-2), and that Nafion performed better as a Pt binder than poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE). Replacing the...

Sulfonic acid-functionalized polymer electrolyte membranes alternative to Nafion(®) were developed. These were hydrocarbon systems, such as blend sulfonated polyetheretherketone (s-PEEK), new generation perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) systems, and composite zirconium phosphate-PFSA polymers. The membranes varied in terms of composition, equivalent weight, thickness, and filler and were investigat...

This study was motivated by the need for improved understanding of the kinetics and transport phenomena in a homogeneous catalyst system for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Direct interaction between the sulfonic groups of Nafion and an Fe(III) meso-tetra(N-methyl-4-pyridyl) porphine chloride (Fe(III)TMPyP) compound was observed using FTIR and in situ UVeVis spectroelectrochemical characte...

Sulfonated polyelectrolyte membranes (PEMs), such as Nafion and styrene-olefin block copolymers, are explored as permselective membranes for fuel cells as well as suitable barrier materials against chemical agents. The permselective properties of PEM are determined by their microphase segregation into hydrophilic and hydrophobic domains. We performed classical molecular dynamics simulations of ...

Ionic polymer-metal composites ~IPMCs! consist of a polyelectrolyte membrane ~usually, Nafion or Flemion! plated on both faces by a noble metal, and is neutralized with certain counter ions that balance the electrical charge of the anions covalently fixed to the backbone membrane. In the hydrated state ~or in the presence of other suitable solvents!, the composite is a soft actuator and sensor....