EFFECT OF NANOPARTICLE DOPE ON ELECTRICAL AND THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY OF PVA NANOFIBERS

Abstract

PVA nanofiber materials are widely utilized in energy applications, particularly in PEM fuel cells. In this study, Ag- and Pt-doped PVA nanofibers were fabricated via the electrospinning method at different weight ratios and compared with pure PVA nanofibers. The thermal and electrical conductivities, PEM fuel cell performances, and morphological structures of the nanofibers were investigated. The results demonstrated that the highest electrical conductivity (16.80 S/cm) was achieved with the addition of 5% Ag nanoparticles, while Pt nanoparticle doping also improved electrical conductivity but to a lesser extent (14.90 S/cm). In terms of thermal conductivity, Ag nanoparticle doping increased the Thermal Conductivity Coefficient by approximately 28%, whereas Pt nanoparticle doping had the opposite effect, reducing it by 43%. Additionally, the hydrophilicity of the nanofibers increased with increasing nanoparticle content. The PEM fuel cell tests indicated that Ag-doped PVA nanofibers exhibited superior performance compared to pure PVA nanofibers, making them a promising material for energy applications.

Keywords

• PEM Fuel Cell
• PVA Nanofiber
• Design of Experiment
• Nanoparticle

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