Design, synthesis and properties of polyaromatics with hydrophobic and hydrophilic long blocks as proton exchange membrane for PEM fuel cell application

• Published in: International journal of hydrogen energy Vol. 37; no. 5; pp. 4545 - 4552
• Main Authors: Wang, S.J., Luo, J.J., Xiao, M., Han, D.M., Shen, P.K., Meng, Y.Z.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01-03-2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Alternative fuels. Production and utilization; Applied sciences; Block copolymers; Blocking; Clusters; Conducting polymers; Dimensional stability; Energy; Ethers; Exact sciences and technology; Fuel cells; Fuels; Hydrogen; Membrane; Polyaromatics; Proton exchange membrane fuel cells; Sulfonation; Sulfonic acid; Uptakes; Sulfonation; Membrane; Polyaromatics; Fuel cells; Block copolymers; Relative humidity; Stability; Hydrogen; Mechanical properties; Condensation; Proton conductivity; Ion exchange; Proton exchange; Fuel cell
• ISSN: 0360-3199; 1879-3487
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2011.09.095

A series of the poly(ether ether ketone)s with hydrophobic and hydrophilic long blocks were successfully synthesized by nucleophilic displacement condensation. The polyaromatics with different size of sulfonic acid group clusters were cast from their solutions to produce accordingly membranes. The comprehensive properties of these membranes were then fully characterized by determining the ion-exchange capacity, water uptake, proton conductivity, dimensional stabilities and mechanical properties. The experimental results show that the main properties of the membrane can be tailored by changing the cluster size of sulfonic acid groups or the length of hydrophilic units. The membrane of Block-6c has good mechanical, oxidative and dimensional stabilities together with high proton conductivity (2.09 × 10−2 S cm−1) at 80 °C under 100% relative humidity. The membranes also possess excellent thermal and dimensional stabilities, therefore, these polymers are potential and promising proton conducting membrane material for PEM full cell applications.