Pore‐filling electrolyte membranes based on microporous polyethylene matrices activated with plasma and sulfonated hydrogenated styrene butadiene block copolymer. Synthesis, microstructural and electrical characterization

Abstract

In this research a series of pore‐filling electrolyte membranes were prepared, based on a sulfonated and hydrogenated styrene/butadiene block copolymer (SHSBS) and plasma‐treated microporous polyethylene (PE) membranes. The pore‐filling electrolyte membranes were characterized by means of scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR‐ATR), and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). In addition, the water uptake and methanol/water uptake capacities of these membranes were determined using several methanol in water solutions, as well as the permeability coefficients, for both water and methanol, using a 2 M methanol in water solution and pure methanol. Finally, electrical behavior was recorded by means of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and the four probe technique (FPT). The SEM images recorded show good coating of the pore‐filling electrolyte membranes on the plasma‐treated PE matrices, and DMA shows the proper relaxations of the two components: PE and SHSBS. Furthermore, the methanol/water absorption capacity was observed to diminish with plasma treatment of the matrix. Methanol permeability of the pore‐filling electrolyte membranes is notably lower than that of the Nafion® membrane, ion conductivity moving in the order of 10−2 S cm−1. Both of these characteristics qualify the experimental membranes as candidates to be applied as proton exchangers in fuel cells (FCs). © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 46: 1684–1695, 2008

Understanding methods of preparation and characterization of pore-filling polymer composites for proton exchange membranes: a beginner’s guide

“…The most probable reason could be the incomplete filling of the porous support (≈60% out of ≈90% pore volume fraction) and effect of the bulk ionomer layers deposited on the composite membrane surfaces. Navarro et al (2008) filled the UHMWPE supports (pore size, 0.3 μm) from a 5% solution of sulfonated and hydrogenated styrene/butadiene block copolymer (SHSBS) in chloroform/ethanol mixture. Several plasma treatments were tested on the supports to improve the pore-filling.…”

Preparation of Two-Layer Anion-Exchange Poly(ethersulfone) Based Membrane: Effect of Surface Modification

“…To evaluate the functionality of AEMs, IEC was chosen as an evaluative property. The ion-exchange capacity refers to a number of ions that the system is able to bind and it is known to have the profound effects on many important properties of ion-exchange membranes, such as the water swellability [29]. The results of IEC are shown in Table 3.…”

A review on methanol crossover in direct methanol fuel cells: challenges and achievements

“…In addition, the methanol permeability decreases from 12 × 10 ‐6 cm 2 s ‐1 (point # 15) for sulfonated poly (ether ether ketone) sub‐layer and polyvinyl alcohol sub‐layer to 0.009 × 10 ‐6 cm 2 s ‐1 (point #7) for Polyvinyl alcohol pervaporation , that is, decreasing by about 1333 times. A work on Sulfonated polystyrene/polytetrafluoroethylene composite (SPS/PTFE) , Sulfonated poly(styrene‐ran‐ethylene) and porous polyimide matrix (PI/SPES) , and Sulfonated and hydrogenated styrene/butadiene block copolymer and plasma‐treated microporous (PE‐SHSBS) reports conductivities of the same order of magnitude as Nafion and a significant reduction of methanol permeability. These works are shown as (points #4, points #11, and #24) in Figure (a).…”

“… (a) Variations of the measured proton conductivity versus methanol permeability for composite membranes. (b) Variation of selectivity (conductivity/permeability) versus proton conductivity for composite membranes from the literatures: () SPEEK/SiO 2 , () PVA/SiO 2 , () CS/(P(AA‐AMPS) , () SPS/PTFE , () DBSA‐PEG / SiO 2 , () PVA/PWA, () PVA , ( X ) CS/PTNT , () CS/STiO 2 , () CS/silica , () PI/SPES ,() CS/TNT , () sPEEK‐OMB , () PVA/SSA/sPBS , () SPEEK/ PVA , ( + ) CPV , () SPEEK/TPA/MCM‐41, () PAMPS , () PVA/ZrP/SWA , () AESA‐Na ,() SPEEK ,() SPAEK , (@) PVA/sulfated β‐cyclodextrin ( $ ) PE‐SHSBS , ( a ) SPEEK‐PEEK‐BI ,( C ) SPEEK/PVDF/PWA ,(#) CS/Beta/SO 3 H , ( & ) Nitrated SPEEK , ( ^ ) STMPEEK/TMBP/PNBS , (*) PI‐PVA‐TSGEPS , ( − ) AEMss .…”