Design of non-fluorinated proton exchange membranes from Poly(Terphenyl fluorenyl isatin) with fluorene-linked sulfonate groups and microblock structures
Chaoyi Ba , Shu Xu , Christopher G. Arges , Jae Hyung Park , Jinkyu Park , Meltem Urgun-Demirtas
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Proton exchange membranes (PEMs) are essential components in energy storage and conversion devices, such as fuel cells and electrolyzers. In this study, we developed a series of non-fluorinated PEMs from poly (terphenyl fluorenyl isatin) with fluorene-pendent disulfonate groups. These polymers feature a microblock structure composed of hydrophobic blocks, hydrophilic blocks, and alternating blocks, arising from the differences in reactivity, concentration, and solubility between the hydrophobic p-terphenyl and hydrophilic disulfonated fluorene monomers. As a result, the sulfonic acid groups are unevenly distributed along the polymer chains, forming densely charged regions (IEC = 3.52 meq/g) with large ion clusters and lightly charged regions (IEC = 2.16 meq/g) with small ion clusters. This microstructure, combined with the degree of sulfonation, significantly influences the overall properties of the membranes, including robust mechanical strength (47.1–63.2 MPa), high thermal stability (up to 270 °C), low swelling ratio (18–25 % at 80 °C), and high proton conductivity (136–169 mS/cm in deionized water at 80 °C). The PFLSH60 membrane demonstrated comparable fuel cell performance to Nafion 212. Its hydrogen crossover current density was more than two times lower (0.86 mA/cm2 for PFLSH60 compared to 1.83 mA/cm2 for Nafion 212) under testing conditions of 80 °C and 100 % RH. This significantly reduced crossover improves fuel utilization in fuel cell stacks. This work offers valuable insights into the design of robust, high-performance PEMs by systematically analyzing the relationships between membrane structure, properties, and performance.
期刊介绍:
The Journal of Membrane Science is a publication that focuses on membrane systems and is aimed at academic and industrial chemists, chemical engineers, materials scientists, and membranologists. It publishes original research and reviews on various aspects of membrane transport, membrane formation/structure, fouling, module/process design, and processes/applications. The journal primarily focuses on the structure, function, and performance of non-biological membranes but also includes papers that relate to biological membranes. The Journal of Membrane Science publishes Full Text Papers, State-of-the-Art Reviews, Letters to the Editor, and Perspectives.