Synthesis and proton conductivity of partially sulfonated poly([vinylidene difluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene]-b-styrene) block copolymers

From National Research Council Canada

Download
  1. (PDF, 670 KB)
DOIResolve DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/ma0477549
AuthorSearch for: 1; Search for: 1
Name affiliation
  1. National Research Council Canada. NRC Institute for Fuel Cell Innovation
FormatText
TypeArticle
Journal titleMacromolecules
ISSN0024-9297
1520-5835
Volume38
Issue10
Pages4193–4201
Abstract
A series of novel, amphiphilic block copolymers comprising of sulfonated poly([vinylidene difluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene]-b-styrene) [P(VDF-co-HFP)-b-SPS] were synthesized. The number-average molecular weights of the fluorous and polystyrene segments were 17 900 and 8100 g/mol, respectively. Sulfonation of the polystyrene segment to different extents provided a series of polymers which were cast into films to yield proton exchange membranes with varying ion exchange capacity (IEC). Proton conductivity of the membranes increased significantly when the IEC was increased from 0.5 to 1.2 mmol/g. For 0.9-1.2 mmol/g IEC membranes, the conductivity was similar to Nafion 117, significantly higher than random copolymers of polystyrene and sulfonated polystyrene, and twice that of nonfluorous block copolymer membranes based on sulfonated poly(styrene-b-[ethylene-co-butylene]-b-styrene) (S-SEBS) and sulfonated hydrogenated poly(butadiene-b-styrene) (S-HPBS) copolymers. TEM revealed a disruption in ordered morphology with increasing degree of sulfonation. Morphological structures of membranes having 0.6-1.2 mmol/g IEC comprised of interconnected networks of ion channels, each of 8-15 nm width.
Publication date
PublisherAmerican Chemical Society
LanguageEnglish
Peer reviewedYes
NPARC number23002002
Export citationExport as RIS
Report a correctionReport a correction
Record identifieraeb1ea6c-9c47-4565-9a16-283705ab0182
Record created2017-07-14
Record modified2020-04-07
Report a problem on this page
Date modified: