Synthesis and characterization of neodymium oxide modified nafion membrane for direct alcohol fuel cells

Nafion composite membranes were prepared by incorporating neodymium oxide (Nd2O3), a hygroscopic rare earth oxide and a dopant for H+ ion conduction, into the nafion structure. Five different loadings of Nd2O3 were used to fabricate Nd2O3/nafion composite membranes and characterized extensively for possible use in direct alcohol fuel cells. The proton conductivity, ion exchange capacity, water uptake, tensile strength, and oxidation stability of the composite membrane were higher than pure cast nafion membrane. Nd2O3/nafion composite membrane exhibited reduced methanol and ethanol crossover as compared to pure cast nafion membrane and thus has potential to use in direct alcohol fuel cells.