Proton exchange membranes prepared from poly(aryl sulfone)s
still
need to overcome the drawbacks of chemical stability in acidic environments
and low electrical conductivity due to water loss at high temperatures.
Herein, we synthesized densely sulfonated poly(aryl sulfone) proton
exchange membranes containing a 1H-imidazo[4,5-F][1,10]-phenanthroline
moiety on the side chain with a metal ion coordination function. The
coordination of 1H-imidazo[4,5-F][1,10]-phenanthroline groups to metal
ions can effectively prevent the formation of •OH
radicals from homolytic cleavage of H2O2 catalyzed
by metal ions. Since the conditions for the continuous formation of •OH radicals are fundamentally eliminated, the antioxidant
stability of the membrane material is greatly improved. Mesoscale
microscopic simulations showed that 1H-imidazo[4,5-F][1,10]-phenanthroline
has the effect of inducing phase separation, endowing the proton exchange
membrane with a larger hydrophilic structural domain and possibly
constructing a better connected channel for proton transport. Notably,
these membranes can efficiently capture the Fe2+ and Fe3+ ions to form stable [Fe(phen)3]2+ and
[Fe(phen)3]3+ interconnection points, respectively,
which could not only enforce the water retention and the mechanical
properties of the membranes but also serve as a catalyzed point to
prevent H2O2 from undergoing homolytic cleavage
and forming •OH radicals.