Organic/Silica Nanocomposite Membranes Applicable to Green Chemistry

Generally, organic/inorganic nanocomposites consist of organic polymers incorporated with inorganic fillers in nanoscale. They integrate the benefits of the inorganic materials (e.g. thermal and chemical stability, stiffness) and the organic polymers (e.g., dielectric, flexibility, processability, and ductility). Recently, polymer-Si nanocomposites have received considerable attention and have been applied in many different applications. Proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) have appeared as an environmentally friendly device to meet the energy demands of the recent years. Nafion^® is a commonly recognized and commercialized membrane which offers exceptional electrochemical attributes below 80 °C, and under extremely humidified environments. Nevertheless, a reduction in the proton conductivity of Nafion^® over 80 °C and decreased humidity, as well as expensive membrane price, has motivated the progress of novel membranes. The incorporation of fillers, particularly nano-sized Si particulates, to the polymeric matrix was employed to partially resolve the problems. Thus, this account will provide a broad summary of the methods and techniques employed for the nanocomposites preparation as well as a short explanation about their properties, characterizations, and applications. In-depth explanations of particular subjects can be found in related references.