Long Alkylene Spacers Promote Structural Ordering and Proton Transport in Phosphonic Acid-Based Polymer Electrolyte Membranes.

ABSTRACT: Next-generation polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs) require polymer electrolyte membranes (PEMs) capable of operating at temperatures above the boiling point of water (100 °C) and under low-humidity below 40% RH. In this study, we synthesized poly-(8-(p-styryl)-1-octanephosphonic acid) (soPA), a polymer bearing phosphonic acid groups on the side chains connected via eight-carbon alkylene spacers. soPA was insoluble in water and formed a highly oriented lamellar phase-separated nanostructure with a 2.9 nm domain spacing, consisting of a hydrophobic phase formed by the alkylene spacers and the polystyrene backbone, and a hydrophilic phase containing the phosphonic acid groups. Despite its lower acid group density compared with poly-(4-(p-styryl)-1-butanephosphonic acid) (sbP

SUBMITTER: Takashima I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12902858 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature