Quaternized cellulose and graphene oxide crosslinked polyphenylene oxide based anion exchange membrane

Anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs) have captivated vast interest due to non-platinum group metal catalysts and fuel flexibility. One of the major shortcomings of AEMFCs, however, is the lack of a stable and high anion conducting membrane. This study introduces a new strategy for fabrication of high conducting anion exchange membrane (AEM) using a hybrid nanocomposite of graphene oxide (GO), cellulose, and poly(phenylene oxide) (PPO), which are functionalized with 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane. The compositional ratio of GO/cellulose/PPO was optimized with respect to ionic conductivity, water uptake, swelling ratio, and mechanical properties. The membrane at GO/cellulose/PPO weight ratio of 1/1/100 displayed an impressive hydroxyl conductivity of ∼114 mS/cm at 25 °C and ∼215 mS/cm at 80 °C, which is considerably higher than the highest value reported. Further, the hybrid composite membranes were mechanically stable even when operating at high temperature (80 °C). The result indicates that the introduction of quaternized GO and cellulose into a polymer matrix is a promising approach for designing high performance AEMs.