Development of cation exchange membrane for hydrogen production

Kodaira, Takahide*; Ikeda, Ayumi*; Matsuyama, Emi*; Kono, Nobuho*; Oura, Kotone*; Sawada, Shinichi; Yamaki, Tetsuya; Nomura, Mikihiro*

no journal, , 

In the thermochemical water splitting IS process, the Bunsen reaction (SO + I + 2HO = HSO + 2HI) needs to be achieved in an electrochemical cell with an ion exchange membrane. As part of an ongoing JST-ALCA project, therefore, we developed ion exchange membranes for this reaction by radiation-induced graft polymerization, investigating their water permeation properties by the pervaporation method. Our membrane preparation involves the -ray-induced grafting of styrene and divinylbenzene into poly(ethylene--tetrafluoroethylene) films and the subsequent sulfonation. Water permeate flux values at 25C were 7.4 and 19 kg/mh through the grafted membrane and Nafion 212 at the same water uptake (37%), respectively.