Highly Proton-Conducting Membranes Based on Poly(arylene ether)s with Densely Sulfonated and Partially Fluorinated Multiphenyl for Fuel Cell Applications.

ABSTRACT: Series of partially fluorinated sulfonated poly(arylene ether)s were synthesized through nucleophilic substitution polycondensation from three types of diols and superhydrophobic tetra-trifluoromethyl-substituted difluoro monomers with postsulfonation to obtain densely sulfonated ionomers. The membranes had similar ion exchange capacities of 2.92 ± 0.20 mmol g-1 and favorable mechanical properties (Young's moduli of 1.60-1.83 GPa). The membranes exhibited considerable dimensional stability (43.1-122.3% change in area and 42.1-61.5% change in thickness at 80 °C) and oxidative stability (~55.5%). The proton conductivity of the membranes, higher (174.3-301.8 mS cm-1) than that of Nafion 211 (123.8 mS cm-1), was the percent conducting volume corresponding to the water uptake. The membranes wer

SUBMITTER: Huang TS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8398039 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature