POS6-1232
PFAS-free Phosphorylated Cellulose Nanofibril Membranes as Sustainable Polymer Electrolytes for Microbial Fuel Cells
Topic
S6. Emerging Polymer and Hybrid Materials for Advanced Energy Storage and Conversion
When and Where
Oct 1, 2026
08:30 - 09:30
Room 301 (Grand Ballroom)
Session Chairs
Jinkee HONG
Ki Su KIM
Presenter(s)
Kunhee Lee (Seoul National University)
Co-Author(s)
Abstract
The development of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS)-free polymer electrolytes is important for sustainable electrochemical energy conversion. Cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) are promising bio-based membrane materials due to their ability to form robust fibrillar networks. However, their low proton conductivity limits their use as electrolyte membranes. In this study, phosphorylated cellulose nanofibril (PCNF) membranes were prepared as PFAS-free polymer electrolytes for microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Proton-dissociating phosphate groups were introduced onto the cellulose surface, and the degree of phosphorylation was controlled by varying the reaction conditions. The density of proton-dissociating sites was evaluated by conductometric titration, and proton conductivity was measured by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The membranes were then applied to an MFC and compared with a commercial Nafion membrane. Higher phosphorylation levels increased the density of proton-dissociating sites and improved proton conductivity. The most highly phosphorylated membrane also showed the best MFC performance, exceeding that of the commercial membrane. These results demonstrate that phosphorylation is an effective approach for developing PFAS-free, bio-based polymer electrolytes for microbial fuel cells and other electrochemical energy conversion systems. This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF) grant funded by the Korea government(MSIT) (No. RS-2024-00352624).
