This study presents an innovative and effective solution for recycling PET bottles as raw for producing anion exchange membranes (AEMs) for electrochemical applications. This approach reduces the demand for pristine materials, a key principle of the circular economy and sustainability. PET was subjected to chemical modification by introducing cationic functional groups followed by methylation and OH– exchange process. The amination synthesis was optimized based on reaction time. The results indicate that ion exchange capacity, water uptake, and swelling ratio properties mainly depend on the degree of cationic functionalization. The optimized AEM exhibits ionic conductivity of 5.3 × 10–2 S·cm–1 and alkaline stability of 432 h in 1 M KOH at 80 °C. The membrane properties before and after the alkaline treatment were investigated using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and scanning electron microscopy analysis. Computational chemistry analysis was employed to gain further insights into the membrane degradation mechanisms and pathways under alkaline conditions. This research and its findings are a step toward using recycled materials in the field of AEM technology.

Anion Exchange Membranes Based on Chemical Modification of Recycled PET Bottles / Donnakatte Neelalochana, Varun; Tomasino, Eleonora; Di Maggio, Rosa; Cotini, Oscar; Scardi, Paolo; Mammi, Stefano; Ataollahi, Narges. - In: ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS. - ISSN 2637-6105. - ELETTRONICO. - 2023, 5:9(2023), pp. 7548-7561. [10.1021/acsapm.3c01391]

Anion Exchange Membranes Based on Chemical Modification of Recycled PET Bottles

Donnakatte Neelalochana, Varun;Tomasino, Eleonora;Di Maggio, Rosa;Cotini, Oscar;Scardi, Paolo;Ataollahi, Narges
2023-01-01

Abstract

This study presents an innovative and effective solution for recycling PET bottles as raw for producing anion exchange membranes (AEMs) for electrochemical applications. This approach reduces the demand for pristine materials, a key principle of the circular economy and sustainability. PET was subjected to chemical modification by introducing cationic functional groups followed by methylation and OH– exchange process. The amination synthesis was optimized based on reaction time. The results indicate that ion exchange capacity, water uptake, and swelling ratio properties mainly depend on the degree of cationic functionalization. The optimized AEM exhibits ionic conductivity of 5.3 × 10–2 S·cm–1 and alkaline stability of 432 h in 1 M KOH at 80 °C. The membrane properties before and after the alkaline treatment were investigated using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and scanning electron microscopy analysis. Computational chemistry analysis was employed to gain further insights into the membrane degradation mechanisms and pathways under alkaline conditions. This research and its findings are a step toward using recycled materials in the field of AEM technology.
2023
9
Donnakatte Neelalochana, Varun; Tomasino, Eleonora; Di Maggio, Rosa; Cotini, Oscar; Scardi, Paolo; Mammi, Stefano; Ataollahi, Narges
Anion Exchange Membranes Based on Chemical Modification of Recycled PET Bottles / Donnakatte Neelalochana, Varun; Tomasino, Eleonora; Di Maggio, Rosa; Cotini, Oscar; Scardi, Paolo; Mammi, Stefano; Ataollahi, Narges. - In: ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS. - ISSN 2637-6105. - ELETTRONICO. - 2023, 5:9(2023), pp. 7548-7561. [10.1021/acsapm.3c01391]
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
acsapm.3c01391 (2).pdf

accesso aperto

Descrizione: main article
Tipologia: Versione editoriale (Publisher’s layout)
Licenza: Creative commons
Dimensione 9.23 MB
Formato Adobe PDF
9.23 MB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11572/388792
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 5
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 3
social impact