Fabrication Of Nanocomposite Membranes Research Articles

Recent Developments in Nanocomposite Membranes Based on Carbon Dots

Carbon dots (CDs) have aroused colossal attention in the fabrication of nanocomposite membranes ascribed to their ultra-small size, good dispersibility, biocompatibility, excellent fluorescence, facile synthesis, and ease of functionalization. Their unique properties could significantly improve membrane performance, including permeance, selectivity, and antifouling ability. In this review, we summarized the recent development of CDs-based nanocomposite membranes in many application areas. Specifically, we paid attention to the structural regulation and functionalization of CDs-based nanocomposite membranes by CDs. Thus, a detailed discussion about the relationship between the CDs’ properties and microstructures and the separation performance of the prepared membranes was presented, highlighting the advantages of CDs in designing high-performance separation membranes. In addition, the excellent optical and electric properties of CDs enable the nanocomposite membranes with multiple functions, which was also presented in this review.

Fabrication of Nanocomposite Membrane with Nanomaterial Filler for Desalination

This review aims to provide a complete overview on the modification of polymer and biopolymer membranes into nanocomposite membrane materials. Fabrication of nanocomposite membranes is carried out by incorporating inorganic filler materials in nanoparticle sizes. Nanomaterials refer to the class of materials that consist of particulate substances with any dimension of less than 100 nm at least. The properties of nanomaterials include large specific surface area, crystalline structure, shape (that regulates most of its properties as well as their unique attributes), surface morphology, and assembling phenomena. This review primarily concentrates on the recent nanotechnology-based practices to enrich the outcomes of desalination on the footings of nanocomposites, developed practicing distinct nanomaterials. A classification for various forms of nanomaterials used for building nanocomposites has also been illustrated. Special emphasis has been given to the usage of nanocomposites constructed from several nanomaterials such as nanoparticles, nanotubes, nanoshells, nanofibers, nanocapsules, nanosheets and quantum dots, and how these nanocomposites have been utilized for desalination.

Green Synthesis of Nanocomposite Membranes for Sustainable Water Filtration

In order to tackle the worldwide problems of water pollution and shortage, this work explores the green synthesis of nanocomposite membranes for sustainable water filtering. Graphene oxide, cellulose nanocrystals, and silver nanoparticles were used as nanofillers in the fabrication of nanocomposite membranes, which were made using renewable polymer matrix (PES, PVDF, PAN). By including different polymer matrices and nanofillers, the composition analysis demonstrated the adaptability of nanocomposite membrane manufacturing, enabling the customization of membrane characteristics. Improved membrane shape and structural integrity were shown to result from the homogeneous dispersion of nanofillers inside the polymer matrix, according to characterization tests. Nanocomposite membranes demonstrated high flux rates and rejection rates for different pollutants, confirming their excellent performance in filtration experiments. The membranes’ improved fouling resistance also increased their service life and decreased the frequency of maintenance needs. Supporting the eco-friendliness of nanocomposite membrane production, an environmental impact evaluation found that it used less energy and generated less trash than traditional techniques. All things considered, nanocomposite membranes have shown great promise as long-term water treatment solutions due to their superior performance, durability, and environmental friendliness, as well as their effective production and characterisation. More study is needed to perfect membrane characteristics and solve the remaining problems that prevent their broad use in water treatment systems.

Fabrication of nanocomposite membrane composed of sulfonated PVDF and thermo-mechanically modified fly ash for application in direct methanol fuel cells

Fabrication of nanocomposite membrane composed of sulfonated PVDF and thermo-mechanically modified fly ash for application in direct methanol fuel cells

Explication of polydopamine modified g-C3N4 as effective additive in PVDF nanocomposite membrane fabrication for enhanced ultrafiltration and self-cleaning performance

Nanocomposite membranes (NCMs) incorporated with nanomaterials have recently received increasing attention, but the preparation of high-performance membranes is still challenging due to the hydrophilicity and self-aggregation of the nanoparticles. In this study, graphite carbon nitride containing nitrogen defects was modified using dopamine (PDA@DCN) for effective alleviation of the agglomeration of nanoparticles resulting in a uniform casting solution. A non-solvent-induced phase separation method was adapted to prepare PVDF NCMs by using PDA@DCN as an effective additive. Superior permeability and selectivity were exhibited by the PDA0.25 @DCN/PVDF2 membrane (where a DA concentration of 0.25 g/100 mL was used in PDA@DCN preparation and 2% PVP was added during the membrane preparation) with the pure water flux of 390 L/(m2·h) and Bovine serum albumin (BSA) rejection of 95.9%. The extended Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (XDLVO) theory revealed that the improvement of the flux recovery rate of PDA0.25 @DCN/PVDF2 was due to the decreased attractive interaction for fouling. Ternary phase diagram and viscosity experiments confirmed that the addition of PDA0.25 @DCN accelerated phase inversion rate (as evident from thermodynamics and kinetics) and increased the porosity with smaller average surface pore size, which is expected to have good permeability and selectivity as an ultrafiltration membrane. Moreover, an excellent self-cleaning performance was demonstrated by PDA0.25 @DCN/PVDF2, with a flux recovery rate of 84.5%, simply under visible light irradiation, which indicates its potential for environment-friendly practical application.

Recent Advances in Nanocomposite Membranes for Organic Compound Remediation from Potable Waters

AbstractWater treatment is one of the main approaches for producing drinking water from contaminated water sources which is challenging due to the presence of a variety of substances requiring removal. The fabrication of nanocomposite membranes relies either on filling nanomaterials into polymeric phases before membrane fabrication, or coating of nanomaterials on the fabricated membrane surface. The removal of organic compounds from potable waters requires processes such as microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, and reverse osmosis. Since most nanomaterials display interesting organic compound uptakes from aqueous systems, nanocomposite membranes have been tested in the removal of various substances from potable waters. Currently, many membrane processes necessitate more advanced and well‐designed selective barriers that may guarantee both permeation and separation efficiency. The progresses and breakthroughs on nanocomposite membranes in remediating potable waters are reported, highlighting novel composite formulations and emphasizing recent advances and outcomes in the field.

Fabrication of nanocomposite membrane based on post-synthetic modification of two-dimensional metal-organic framework nanosheet

• Post-synthetic modification of two-dimensional metal-organic framework. • CuBDC-NH 2 nanosheet reacts with isocyanate-terminated polyurethane oligomer(PU). • The CuBDC-NH 2 /PU is conducted to prepare functional nanocomposite membrane. • The CuBDC-NH 2 /PU membrane shows over 93.0% removal rate for dye removal. Two-dimensional metal-organic framework (2D MOF) nanosheet is becoming as an attractive type of 2D materials. And Post-synthetic modification (PSM) provides a powerful method to modify the structure of MOF without altering its crystal topology, which can generate functional MOFs not accessible from direct synthesis and improve the compatibility between MOFs and other components in MOF-based composite materials, especially in MOF/polymer composite. In this work, a facile method based on PSM of 2D MOF with polymers is conducted to prepare functional nanocomposite membrane. First, the amino-functioned 2D MOF nanosheet, CuBDC-NH 2 (BDC-NH 2 is 2-amino-1,4-benzenedicarboxylate), has been prepared as PSM precursor. Then CuBDC-NH 2 nanosheet reacts with isocyanate-terminated polyurethane (PU) oligomer through PSM to obtain CuBDC-NH 2 /PU nanocomposite membrane, which show over 93.0% removal rate for dye removal, such as methylene blue, Rhodamine B and Eosin Y.

Recent Advances in Adsorptive Nanocomposite Membranes for Heavy Metals Ion Removal from Contaminated Water: A Comprehensive Review

Water contamination is one of the most urgent concerns confronting the world today. Heavy metal poisoning of aquatic systems has piqued the interest of various researchers due to the high toxicity and carcinogenic consequences it has on living organisms. Due to their exceptional attributes such as strong reactivity, huge surface area, and outstanding mechanical properties, nanomaterials are being produced and employed in water treatment. In this review, recent advances in the use of nanomaterials in nanoadsorptive membrane systems for wastewater treatment and heavy metal removal are extensively discussed. These materials include carbon-based nanostructures, metal nanoparticles, metal oxide nanoparticles, nanocomposites, and layered double hydroxide-based compounds. Furthermore, the relevant properties of the nanostructures and the implications on their performance for water treatment and contamination removal are highlighted. The hydrophilicity, pore size, skin thickness, porosity, and surface roughness of these nanostructures can help the water permeability of the nanoadsorptive membrane. Other properties such as surface charge modification and mechanical strength can improve the metal adsorption effectiveness of nanoadsorptive membranes during wastewater treatment. Various nanocomposite membrane fabrication techniques are also reviewed. This study is important because it gives important information on the roles of nanomaterials and nanostructures in heavy metal removal and wastewater treatment.

Fabrication and characterization of nanocomposite membranes for the rejection of textile dye

In current study nanodiamonds (NDs) and LiCl were added into poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) matrix to prepare PVDF/ND/LiCl nancomposite membranes by using phase inversion method. Fabrication of nanocomposite membranes was then confirmed by XRD, SEM, FTIR and TGA. The results showed that the nanodiamonds were incorporated into the pores and onto the surface of PVDF membranes. The effect of NDs loading (0.1 to 0.7 wt%) on nanocomposite membranes properties was studied. The presence of NDs in PVDF substrate provided it a hydrophilic character thus improved permeability, antifouling performance and decreased shrinkage ratio. PNL-0.5 (adding 0.5% NDs with PVDF membrane) exhibited the best results with fouling recovery ratio of 95%, malachite green dye rejection of 95%, decolorization rate of 89% and and mechanical stability up to 15 cycles. These results showed that the characteristics of PNL-0.5 were best and can be used for the removal of dyes from industrial effluent.

Fabrication of ZnO/y-FeOOH nanoparticles embedded on the polyethylene terephthalate membrane: Evaluation of antifouling behavior and COD removal.

Nanofiltration contributes to the development of advanced treatment of wastewater. An antifouling mixed matrix recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) membrane modified by the hydrophilic ZnO/y-FeOOH nanoparticles (NPs) was fabricated via the electrospinning method. The effect of ZnO/y-FeOOH NPS embedded in rPET as a modifier on the fabrication of nanocomposite membranes was investigated regarding water flux, membrane morphology, permeability, fouling resistance, and COD removal. The surface morphology of the rPET-ZnO/y-FeOOH membrane was evaluated by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), water contact angle (WCA), and porosity and pore structure.Due to the embedding of NPs, the resulting rPET-ZnO/y-FeOOH membrane, with a low WCA of 53.404° angle, conforms significantly improved hydrophilicity and water permeation flux. The FESEM image displayed the distribution of cuboidal and needle-like ZnO and FeOOH NPs on the rPET membrane. The performance of the nanofiltration system related to the removal efficiency of COD was studied. It was deduced that the rPET-ZnO/y-FeOOH membrane had a superior COD removal capability (95.7%) at a pressure of 2 bar. Protein rejection tests were performed on antifouling behavior. The nanocomposite membrane with a high antifouling capability was related to 0.5 wt·% ZnO/y-FeOOH NPs (flux recovery ratio [FRR] = 96.2%, Rr = 90.21%, and Rir = 3.001%). The modification procedure in this study (as a great improving technique) was proposed to fabricate the antifouling nanofiltration membrane.

The State-of-the-Art Functionalized Nanomaterials for Carbon Dioxide Separation Membrane.

Nanocomposite membrane (NCM) is deemed as a practical and green separation solution which has found application in various fields, due to its potential to delivery excellent separation performance economically. NCM is enabled by nanofiller, which comes in a wide range of geometries and chemical features. Despite numerous advantages offered by nanofiller incorporation, fabrication of NCM often met processing issues arising from incompatibility between inorganic nanofiller and polymeric membrane. Contemporary, functionalization of nanofiller which modify the surface properties of inorganic material using chemical agents is a viable approach and vigorously pursued to refine NCM processing and improve the odds of obtaining a defect-free high-performance membrane. This review highlights the recent progress on nanofiller functionalization employed in the fabrication of gas-separative NCMs. Apart from the different approaches used to obtain functionalized nanofiller (FN) with good dispersion in solvent and polymer matrix, this review discusses the implication of functionalization in altering the structure and chemical properties of nanofiller which favor interaction with specific gas species. These changes eventually led to the enhancement in the gas separation efficiency of NCMs. The most frequently used chemical agents are identified for each type of gas. Finally, the future perspective of gas-separative NCMs are highlighted.

Fabrication and Characterization of Sulfonated Graphene Oxide (SGO) Doped PVDF Nanocomposite Membranes with Improved Anti-Biofouling Performance.

Emergence of membrane technology for effective performance is qualified due to its low energy consumption, no use of chemicals, high removal capacity and easy accessibility of membrane material. The hydrophobic nature of polymeric membranes limits their applications due to biofouling (assemblage of microorganisms on surface of membrane). Polymeric nanocomposite membranes emerge to alleviate this issue. The current research work was concerned with the fabrication of sulfonated graphene oxide doped polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane and investigation of its anti-biofouling and anti-bacterial behavior. The membrane was fabricated through phase inversion method, and its structure and morphology were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-rays diffraction (XRD) and thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) techniques. Performance of the membrane was evaluated via pure water flux; anti-biofouling behavior was determined through Bovine Serum albumin (BSA) rejection. Our results revealed that the highest water flux was shown by M7 membrane about 308.7 Lm−2h−1/bar having (0.5%) concentration of SGO with improved BSA rejection. Furthermore, these fabricated membranes showed high antibacterial activity, more hydrophilicity and mechanical strength as compared to pristine PVDF membranes. It was concluded that SGO addition within PVDF polymer matrix enhanced the properties and performance of membranes. Therefore, SGO was found to be a promising material for the fabrication of nanocomposite membranes.

Diesel fuel desulfurization by alumina/polymer nanocomposite membrane: Experimental analysis and modeling by the response surface methodology

Sulfur compounds in diesel fuels result in environmental pollution and corrosion in automobile engines. Therefore, it is crucial to reduce the sulfur content as much as possible. This study focuses on the fabrication of nanocomposite membranes from the polypropylene-polyethylene blend and alumina nanoparticles for application in the pervaporation process to separate sulfur compounds from diesel fuels. The effect of temperature, nano-alumina, and polyethylene dosage of the membrane on the permeation flux and enrichment factor of sulfur compounds investigates from experimental and modeling perspectives. Experimental results showed that the permeation flux increases by temperature and alumina concentration and decreases by the membrane polyethylene dosage. The temperature increases the enrichment factor for membranes with low alumina content and decreases the enrichment factor for the membranes with high alumina content. The polyethylene dosage of the membrane increases the enrichment factor at a low temperature and decreases the enrichment factor at a high temperature. Finally, the response surface methodology justified that a nanocomposite membrane (0.475 wt% of alumina nanoparticles, 5.09 wt% of polyethylene polymer) at a temperature of 40 °C removes the maximum amount of sulfur compounds. In this optimum condition, the permeation flux is 3.82 kg/m2 h, and the enrichment factor is 1.71.

Functionalized poly(vinylidene fluoride) for selective proton-conducting membranes

The present study deals with the fabrication of nanocomposite membrane by incorporation of modified (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane treated silicon oxide (APTES-SiO2) within poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) matrix. Further, this nanocomposite membrane was treated with chlorosulfonic acid in order to incorporate the hydrophilic sulfonated (-SO3H) group within the membrane structure. The successful incorporation of nanoparticles within the host polymer structure as well as the sulfonation of the nanocomposite membranes were confirmed from FTIR, NMR and XPS studies respectively. The enhanced ion exchange capacity (0.6 meq g−1) and proton conductivity (9.4 × 10−2 S cm−1) indicate the potentiality of the membranes in fuel cell applications. Further, the greater conductivities of the membranes at high temperature indicates their suitability for performing at high temperature surroundings. The membranes displayed suppressed methanol crossover (50.21% lower as compared to Nafion) leading to more than one-fold higher membrane selectivity thus signifying a potential alternative to Nafion for fuel cell applications.

Book Review: Nanocomposite Membranes for Water and Gas Separation

There are many membrane technology related books the publication collection, but this book gathered the up to-date knowledge sharing with technology experts around the world on the application of nanocomposite membrane in water and gas separation. This book consists of 510 pages and 19 chapters in this first edition covering the recent progress and development of the novel nanocomposite membrane and the prospect in various application. Each chapter starts with the preliminary introduction of the topics followed by the in-depth discussion and the concluded remarkably.Chapter 1 and 2 discussed the overview of the nanocomposite membranes in membrane technologies, recent advancement of the materials used and fabrication techniques. Chapter 3 and 5 provide an insight in the selection of polymeric materials, fillers and metal oxides for the fabrication of nanocomposite membrane. This chapter also carefully examined the formation of nanocomposite layers on the membrane by various techniques such as coating, grafting and self-assembly. Chapter 4 overview the heat, mass and charge transfer across the membrane with detailed explanation of the transport phenomenon involved in both porous and non-porous membrane. Chapter 6 to 9 addressed the development of the advanced nanocomposite membranes with detailed discussion on the incorporation of carbon-based nanomaterials (CNTs and GO), molecular sieving nanomaterials (zeolite and MOF), electrospun nanofibrous materials and biomimicking nanomaterials in the nanocomposite membrane. These chapters also discussed the fabrication and coating method of this materials onto the membrane and its effect on both physical and chemical properties of the nanocomposite membranes.Chapter 10 to 13 described the prospect of the nanocomposite membrane in water treatment by various separation techniques such as pressure-driven membrane processes, osmotic-driven membrane processes, membrane distillation and electrodriven membrane processes. These chapters highlighted the application of nanocomposite membranes with different separation processes in the water treatment application with the discussion on the effects of the operation parameter and the current performance of the membranes in respective processes. Chapter 14 to 17 focussed on the application of nanocomposite membrane in various gas separation in natural gas treatment, nitrogen and oxygen enrichment, recovery of hydrogen and production of syngas and gas separation by membrane contactors. These chapter summarized the results demonstrated by the membrane in gas separation and the identification of the challenges faced by the nanocomposite membrane. The last two chapters of the book addressed the outlook of the nanocomposite membrane with thorough examination of the operational and environmental challenges faced for the feasibility of commercialization.This book intended to capture the recent advancement of the nanocomposite membrane in terms of fabrication and its performance in water and gas separation that contributed to the sustainability of membrane technology in the future. More than 50 membrane experts from various countries contributed to this book, providing an insight of nanocomposite membrane which is still inscrutable for many in the separation field. This book will be the vital reference for the researchers, students, membrane technologist, membrane manufacturer or marketeers.

Titanium oxide/graphitic carbon nitride nanocomposites as fillers for enhancing the performance of SPAES membranes for fuel cells

Our work deals with the fabrication of nanocomposite membranes by reinforcing sulfonated poly(aryl ether sulfone)s (SPAES) properties through incorporating various titanium oxide/graphitic carbon nitride (TiO2/g-C3N4) nanocomposite contents. They reveal promising results for applications in proton exchange membrane fuel cells. The nanocomposites introduction provides the membranes with noticeable proton conductivity, mechanical and dimensional stability improvements in comparison with the control SPAES membrane. The SPAES-TiO2/g-C3N4-1.0 nanocomposite membrane demonstrates the prominent proton conductivity of 325.3mScm−1 at 80°C and 258.4mScm−1 at 94.1% RH, as well as outstanding oxidative stability of only weight loss of 4.6% after the Fenton’s accelerating aging at 80°C for 1h. For the single fuel cell performance, it reaches the highest power density of 525.6mWcm-2 at 1150.8mAcm-2. These results suggest the good prospect of the dual compositing strategy for membrane modification in the fuel cell applications.

One-step phosphorylation of graphene oxide for the fabrication of nanocomposite membranes with enhanced proton conductivity for fuel cell applications

In this work, graphene oxide (GO) was phosphorylated by a novel method and then incorporated into the chitosan (CS) matrix for the fabrication of nanocomposite membranes with enhanced proton conductivity for fuel cell applications. The 2D phosphorylated graphene oxide (PGO) offers efficient proton hopping sites (–PO3H−···+H3N-) that form continuous proton conducting channels at the CS/PGO interface. The CS/PGO nanocomposite membrane containing 2 wt% of PGO shows an optimum proton conductivity of 0.036 S cm−1, which is higher than that of commercial Nafion 117 membrane (0.033 S cm−1). In comparison with CS control membrane, CS/PGO nanocomposite membranes have higher thermal and mechanical stability because of the strong electrostatic and hydrogen bonding interactions between –NH2 of CS and –PO3H2 of GO. This study provides a new facile way to fabricate high-performance, low-cost and eco-friendly nanocomposite membranes for fuel cell applications.

Synthesis and Characterization of a High Flux Nanocellulose-Cellulose Acetate Nanocomposite Membrane.

Despite the advantages of membrane processes, their high energy requirement remains a major challenge. Fabrication of nanocomposite membranes by incorporating various nanomaterials in the polymer matrix has shown promise for enhancing membrane flux. In this study, we embed functionalized cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) with high aspect ratios in the polymer matrix to create hydrophilic nanochannels that reduce membrane resistance and facilitate the facile transport of water molecules through the membrane. The results showed that the incorporation of 0.1 wt % CNF into the polymer matrix did not change the membrane flux (~15 ) and Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) Fraction V rejection, while increasing the CNF content to 0.3 wt % significantly enhanced the flux by seven times to ~100 , but the rejection was decreased to 60–70%. Such a change in membrane performance was due to the formation of hydrophilic nanochannels by the incorporation of CNF (corroborated by the SEM images), decreasing the membrane resistance, and thus enhancing the flux. When the concentration of the CNF in the membrane matrix was further increased to 0.6 wt %, no further increase in the membrane flux was observed, however, the BSA rejection was found to increase to 85%. Such an increase in the rejection was related to the electrostatic repulsion between the negatively-charged CNF-loaded nanochannels and the BSA, as demonstrated by zeta potential measurements. SEM images showed the bridging effect of the CNF in the nanochannels with high CNF contents.

Synergic effect of ionic liquid grafted titanate nanotubes on the performance of anion exchange membrane fuel cell

Titanate nano tubes, prepared by hydrothermal method, are covalently bonded with a basic ionic liquid (1-Methyl-3-(3-trimethoxysilylpropyl) imidazolium chloride) resulting in an ion exchange behaviour. The ionic liquid bonded Titanate nano tubes are characterised by SEM, TEM, XRD studies for their nano tube morphology and covalent bond between them which are confirmed by solid state NMR and FTIR. This synthesised filler, in various concentrations (1, 3, 5 and 7 wt%), are incorporated into quaternised polysulfone leading to the fabrication of nano composite membranes with high ion exchange capacity. The fabricated nano composite membranes are characterised by SEM, XRD, water uptake, ion exchange capacity and hydroxyl conductivity studies to evaluate their suitability as an electrolyte in alkaline fuel cell applications. Upon testing these membranes in fuel cell setup with platinum anode and silver cathode, amongst the various composites, the membrane with 5% wt filler exhibits the most optimum properties for application in alkaline fuel cells with a power density of 302 mW/cm2. The existence of ion exchange behaviour as well as the hollow nature of titanate nano tubes leads to synergistic effect in conducting the hydroxyl ions via both Grotthus (through water molecules) and hopping (through ion exchange groups) mechanisms.

Fabrication of Nanocomposite Membrane via Combined Electrospinning and Casting Technique for Direct Methanol Fuel Cell

Emergence of nanotechnology has resulted in the introduction of the electrospinning process in fabricating and characterising the polymer electrolyte membrane from the sulfonated poly (ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) nanocomposite membrane comprised of electrospun Cloisite15A® (e-spun CL) for direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC). Poly (ether ether ketone) polymer is sulfonated up to 63% by sulfuric acid. SPEEK63/e-spun CL nanofbers were fabricated via electrospinning in which SPEEK63 was used as carrier polymer while the SPEEK63/e-spun CL nanocomposite membrane was obtained by the casting method. Characterizations on physical, morphological and thermal properties of SPEEK63/e-spun CL were conducted and compared to the SPEEK membrane fabricated by casting simple mixing 2.5wt.% Cloisite15A® and 5.0wt.% triaminopyrimidine solution (SPEEK63/2.5CL/5.0TAP). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed well electrospun Cloisite15A® with an average diameter nanofber around 187.4 nm. Moreover, feld emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) revealed that Cloisite15A® particles at a nanometer range were uniformly distributed and 66% smaller than those in SPEEK63/2.5C/5.0TAP. Furthermore, x-ray diffraction proved that the dispersion state of Cloisite15A® fell into an intercalated phase. A very small amount of Cloisite15A® (0.05wt.%) in SPEEK63/e-spun CL successfully enhanced the proton conductivity up to 50%, whereas, unfortunately the methanol permeability value was 27 times higher than SPEEK63/2.5CL/5.0TAP. Proton conductivity and methanol permeability of SPEEK63/e-spun CL were 24.49 x 10-3 Scm-1 and 3.74 x 10-7 cms-1, respectively. Even though this study contributed to 95% selectivity lower than SPEEK63/2.5CL/5.0TAP, electrospinning showed a promising technique to further reduce original sized Cloisite15A® particles from mixed size (μm and nm) to nanometer sized. In addition, by fne tuning, the dispersion of Cloisite15A® enhances the SPEEK63/e-spun CL performance in DMFC.