Proton Conductive Membranes from Covalently Cross‐Linked Poly(Acrylate)/Silica Interpenetrating Networks

• Published in: Macromolecular materials and engineering Vol. 306; no. 4
• Main Authors: Zhyhailo, Mariia, Horechyy, Andriy, Meier‐Haack, Jochen, Formanek, Petr, Malanin, Mikhail, Arnhold, Kerstin, Schneider, Konrad, Yevchuk, Iryna, Fery, Andreas
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01-04-2021
• Subjects: 2‐acrylamido‐2‐methylpropane sulfonic acid; 3‐methacryloxypropyl trimethoxysilane; Chemical composition; Covalence; Differential scanning calorimetry; Fourier transforms; hybrid materials; Infrared analysis; Interpenetrating networks; Membranes; Morphology; Networks; proton conductive membranes; Protons; Silicon dioxide; Sol-gel processes; sol–gel process; Thermogravimetric analysis; ultraviolet‐curing
• ISSN: 1438-7492; 1439-2054
• DOI: 10.1002/mame.202000776

The preparation of hybrid proton conductive membranes that comprise of covalently linked interpenetrating polymer and inorganic networks is reported. The hybrid membranes are synthesized via simultaneous photo‐initiated polymerization and sol–gel processing. The simultaneous processing permeates fabrication of the membranes that comprises covalently cross‐linked polymeric and inorganic networks. The membranes are characterized by attenuated total reflectance‐Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scaning electron microsopy, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, in order to confirm their chemical composition, structure, and morphology. An addition of 3‐methacryloxypropyl trimethoxysilane into the sol–gel composition allows the formation of covalent linkages between polymeric and inorganic networks, which facilitates a uniform distribution of the molecular components across the fabricated membranes. The incorporation of the silica network leads to an increase in water retention and proton conductivity of hybrid membranes as compared to their purely polymeric analogues.
Series of hybrid proton conducting membranes composed of covalently cross‐linked poly(acrylonitrile‐r‐acrylic acid‐r‐2‐acrylamido‐2‐methylpropane sulfonic acid) and sol–gel‐derived silica network are prepared by a simultaneous UV‐curing and sol–gel processing. The results show that incorporated silica phase minimizes the proton conductivity drop associated with dehydration of the membranes at elevated temperatures as compared to their polymeric analogues.