Morphology and Physiochemical Characterization of Perfluorosulfonic Acid (PFSA) Membrane forElectrochemical ApplicationMohd Hafiz Md Ali1, Mohammad Noor Jalil1*, Mohamad Nor Amirul Azhar Kamis1,Hamizah Mohd Zaki11School of Chemistry and Environment, Faculty of Applied Science,Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam, 40000, Selangor MALAYSIA*Corresponding Author: moham423@uitm.edu.myDOI: https://doi.org/10.30880/jst.2025.17.01.011 Article InfoAbstractReceived: 11 September 2024Accepted: 17 May 2025 Available online: 30 June 2025This reportprovides a thorough examination of the surface morphology, chemical content, and physical properties of Perfluorosulfonic Acid (PFSA) membrane which is commonly utilised as a conductive membrane in fuel cells, ionic batteries, and electrolysers. This experimental effort is separated into two parts: morphological characterisation and physicochemical analysis, which aim to improve understanding of the membrane functional qualities. The membrane surface and cross-sectional characteristics were examined at varied magnifications using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX). The EDX results revealed that the membrane surface is predominantly composed of carbon (C), oxygen (O), manganese (Mn), and nickel (Ni), accounting for 22.82% by mass, whereas the cross-section analysis revealed higher mass percentages of titanium (Ti), sulphur (S), oxygen (O), carbon (C), and fluorine (F), totalling 53.51%. Tensile testing confirmed the membrane's strength, with a tensile stress of 13.71 N/mm² and an elongation at break of 73.73%. Thermal stability and breakdown behaviour were determined using Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), which validated this membrane thermal endurance at 422oC degradation temperatures. These findings provide significant understanding into the surface morphology and structural functional features of PFSA membranewhich allow its optimisation for advanced electrochemical applications.KeywordsPerfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA),morphology, chemical, physiochemical1.IntroductionPerfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) membrane, employed in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells, demonstrate a distinctive set of properties essential for optimal performance in electrochemical applications[1].This membrane shows high proton conductivity, exceptional chemical and thermal stability, and mechanical strength, rendering it suitable in various applications such as fuel cells, electrolyser and redox flow batteries[2]. PFSA membranes play a crucial role in electrochemical devices, particularly in proton exchange membranes (PEMs) for fuel cells and electrolysers. Instead of that, its nanostructured morphology influences proton conductivity, mechanical strength, and chemical stability[3]. These unique design of PFSA membranes, consisting of hydrophobic polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) backbones and hydrophilic sulfonic acid side chains, is key to

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