Preparation of Exfoliated Zirconium Phosphate/Nafion Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Proton Exchange Membranes

A novel strategy to prepare zirconium phosphate/Nafion nanocomposite proton exchange membrane (PEM) from exfoliated zirconium phosphate and Nafion solution was proposed and investigated. It was found that zirconium phosphate could be well-dispersed and disorderly exfoliated in the membrane. Compared to neat Nafion 117 thin film, methanol permeability was reduced by 77% while the proton conductivity only decreased by 7% in the nanocomposite membrane with 3 wt % zirconium phosphate. Results obtained also showed that the addition of zirconium phosphate could increase the thermal stability of the nanocomposite PEM.