Nanocomposite cation exchange membranes (CEMs) were prepared by adding various amounts of functionalized silica-coated magnetite nanoparticles to the sulfonated polyethersulfone (sPES) polymeric matrix. The particles were synthesized first by the co-precipitation method (M0). Different surface modifications were then carried out on them by grafting three functional groups of mercaptopropyl, pro...

Direct borohydride fuel cells (DBFC), which operate on sodium borohydride (NaBH4) as the fuel, and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as the oxidant, are receiving increasing attention. This is due to their promising use as power sources for space and underwater applications, where air is not available and gas storage poses obvious problems. One key factor to improve the performance of DBFCs concerns the...

Composites of nanocellulose and the conductive polymer polypyrrole (PPy) are presented as candidates for a new generation of haemodialysis membranes. The composites may combine active ion exchange with passive ultrafiltration, and the large surface area (about 80 m(2) g(-1)) could potentially provide compact dialysers. Herein, the haemocompatibility of the novel membranes and the feasibility of...

Attention is drawn to the fact that the non-linear electrical currentvoltage characteristic of porous track-etched poly(ethylene terephtalate) membranes, reported by Wolf, Siwy, Korchev and Spohr in Cell. Mol. Biol. Lett. 4 (1999) 553-565, is very similar to that observed with cross-linked polyelectrolyte gel membranes with negatively charged fixed ionic groups (cation exchange membranes). This...

The time variation in emf caused by pressure differences has been used to find transference coefficients of water as well as water permeabilities in ion exchange membranes. Previous experimental methods have been corrected and facilitated. The cation exchange membrane CR61 AZL 386 was investigated. Equilibrium solutions contained 10-4 kmol_m-3 < CKC~ < 10-1 kmol_m-3, or constant concentration o...