Low Water Swelling and High Proton Conducting Sulfonated Poly(arylene ether) with Pendant Sulfoalkyl Groups for Proton Exchange Membranes

Abstract

Novel side‐chain‐type sulfonated poly(arylene ether) with pendant sulfoalkyl group copolymers (PSA‐SPAE‐6F) have been synthesized by direct copolymerization from a new sulfonated monomer, sodium 3‐(4‐(2,6‐difluorobenzoyl)phenyl)propane‐1‐sulfonate. The sulfonate content could be easily controlled by adjusting the sulfonated and the unsulfonated monomer feed ratio. The obtained copolymers all show good thermal and mechanical properties. It should be noted that the most highly sulfonated copolymer, PSA‐SPAE‐6F90 with an ion exchange capacity of 1.30 mequiv · g−1, shows a proton conductivity of 0.11 S · cm−1 and a water swelling ratio of only 12.9% at 100 °C, which indicates its high proton conductivity and excellent dimensional stability in hot water.magnified image

Synthesis and characterization of sulfonated poly(arylene ether)s with sulfoalkyl pendant groups for proton exchange membranes

“…3-(4-(2,6-Difluorobenzoyl)phenyl)propane-1-sulfonate (DFPPS) was synthesized according to a procedure described at previous reported [30]. Monomer's structures were confirmed by 1 H NMR.…”

“…In previous work, we have reported the synthesis of sidechain-type sulfonated poly(arylene ether)s (SC-SPAE [29] and PSA-SPAE-6F [30]) via novel sulfonated monomers with direct copolymerization method. Two series of polymers both exhibit high proton conductivity and thermal and oxidative stability, which remain excellent dimensional stability in hot water.…”

Fluorene-Based Poly(arylene ether sulfone)s Containing Clustered Flexible Pendant Sulfonic Acids as Proton Exchange Membranes

“…Macromolecules ARTICLE at 3.48 ppm disappeared, and ÀOH proton signals appeared at 9.43 ppm, as shown in Figure 2. A variety of side-chain type PEMs containing one or two pendant sulfoalkyl groups in each hydrophilic unit have been prepared by the direct copolymerization method 29,33,34 or by chemically grafting the pendants onto polymers.…”

Preparation of sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone)s containing amino groups/epoxy resin composite membranes and their in situ crosslinking for application in fuel cells

“…Even for the sample of AP6FSPEEK/DGBP1 cured at 200 • C can reach 10.2 × 10 −2 S cm −1 at 100 • C. The values of AP6FSPEEK/DGBP1 cured at 200 • C at each temperature are close to pure AP6FSPEEK. Comparing with Nafion 117 [46], the value of swelling ratio of AP6FSPEEK/DGBP1 cured at 200 • C is much lower. Meanwhile, its conductivity is close to Nafion 117.…”