Nanohybrids of graphene oxide chemically-bonded with Nafion: Preparation and application for proton exchange membrane fuel cells

Nafion chains have been reacted onto graphene oxide (GO) through atom transfer radical addition (ATRA) reaction between the C–F groups of Nafion and the C=C groups of GO. The obtained nanohybrids of GO and Nafion (GO-Nafion) are characterized with Fourier transform Infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy to support the performance of the ATRA reaction between GO and Nafion and the chemical structure of GO-Nafion. Morphological observation on GO-Nafion with transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy further demonstrates the organic-inorganic hybrid nanosheet structure of GO-Nafion. GO-Nafion has been used as a nanoadditive for fabrication of Nafion-based nanocomposite proton exchange membranes for fuel cells. Compared to the neat recast Nafion membrane, addition of GO-Nafion results in a 1.6-folds of proton conductivity to the corresponding nanocomposite PEM. The single cell tests on the nanocomposite PEM also exhibit an about 35–40% increase in the fuel cell performance. [Display omitted] •Nafion is chemically bonded to graphene oxide through atom transfer radical addition reaction.•The nanohybrid of Nafion and graphene oxide is used as a nano-additive for Nafion.•Addition of GO-Nafion nanohybrid to Nafion results in a 1.6-folds of proton conductivity.•The Nafion nanocomposite PEM exhibits an 35–40% increase in the fuel cell performance.