Polymeric materials as anion-exchange membranes for alkaline fuel cells

Asymmetric neutral, cationic and anionic PEO-based double-hydrophilic block copolymers (DHBCs): synthesis and reversible micellization triggered by temperature or pH

The syntheses of three DHBCs (thermosensitive or ionizable) are described. To act as structure directing agents in mesoporous silica synthesis, their ability to undergo micellization under appropriate conditions was checked.

Anion conducting multiblock poly(arylene ether sulfone)s containing hydrophilic segments densely functionalized with quaternary ammonium groups

The use of methylhydroquinones enables the preparation of block copolymers having phenylene rings with precisely 2, 3 or 4 quaternary ammonium groups. Membrane properties show the importance of controlling the local ionic distribution to reach high anion conductivity.

Anion-conducting sulfaminated aromatic polymers by acid functionalization

A simple synthesis technique for anionic conducting membranes, based on sulfaminated PEEK with Cl⁻, Br⁻, NO₃⁻, HSO₄⁻, H₂PO₄⁻.

Anion conductive aromatic block copolymers containing diphenyl ether or sulfide groups for application to alkaline fuel cells

A novel series of aromatic block copolymers composed of fluorinated phenylene and biphenylene groups and diphenyl ether (QPE-bl-5) or diphenyl sulfide (QPE-bl-6) groups as a scaffold for quaternized ammonium groups is reported. The block copolymers were synthesized via aromatic nucleophilic substitution polycondensation, chloromethylation, quaternization, and ion exchange reactions. The block copolymers were soluble in organic solvents and provided thin and bendable membranes by solution casting. The membranes exhibited well-developed phase-separated morphology based on the hydrophilic/hydrophobic block copolymer structure. The membranes exhibited mechanical stability as confirmed by DMA (dynamic mechanical analyses) and low gas and hydrazine permeability. The QPE-bl-5 membrane with the highest ion exchange capacity (IEC = 2.1 mequiv g(-1)) exhibited high hydroxide ion conductivity (62 mS cm(-1)) in water at 80 °C. A noble metal-free fuel cell was fabricated with the QPE-bl-5 as the membrane and electrode binder. The fuel cell operated with hydrazine as a fuel exhibited a maximum power density of 176 mW cm(-2) at a current density of 451 mA cm(-2).

A novel poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) with trifunctional ammonium moieties for alkaline anion exchange membranes

2,4,6-Tri(dimethylaminomethyl)-phenol was synthesized as a trifunctional moiety and incorporated onto poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (PPO) to obtain a novel quaternary ammonium functionalized PPO (PPO-TQA). Membranes of the polymer were fabricated and exhibited high conductivity, a low swelling ratio and water uptake.

Mixed-valent click intertwined polymer units containing biferrocenium chloride side chains form nanosnakes that encapsulate gold nanoparticles

Polymers containing triazolylbiferrocene are synthesized by ROMP or radical chain reactions and react with HAuCl4 to provide class-2 mixed-valent triazolylbiferrocenium polyelectrolyte networks (observed inter alia by TEM and AFM) that encapsulate gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). With triazolylbiferrocenium in the side polymer chain, the intertwined polymer networks form nanosnakes, unlike with triazolylbiferrocenium in the main polymer chain. By contrast, simple ferrocene-containing polymers do not form such a ferricenium network upon reaction with Au(III), but only small AuNPs, showing that the triazolyl ligand, the cationic charge, and the biferrocenium structure are coresponsible for such network formations.

Ion distribution in quaternary-ammonium-functionalized aromatic polymers: effects on the ionic clustering and conductivity of anion-exchange membranes

A series of copoly(arylene ether sulfone)s that have precisely two, three, or four quaternary ammonium (QA) groups clustered directly on single phenylene rings along the backbone are studied as anion-exchange membranes. The copolymers are synthesized by condensation polymerizations that involve either di-, tri-, or tetramethylhydroquinone followed by virtually complete benzylic bromination using N-bromosuccinimide and quaternization with trimethylamine. This synthetic strategy allows excellent control and systematic variation of the local density and distribution of QA groups along the backbone. Small-angle X-ray scattering of these copolymers shows extensive ionic clustering, promoted by an increasing density of QA on the single phenylene rings. At an ion-exchange capacity (IEC) of 2.1 meq g(-1), the water uptake decreases with the increasing local density of QA groups. Moreover, at moderate IECs at 20 °C, the Br(-) conductivity of the densely functionalized copolymers is higher than a corresponding randomly functionalized polymer, despite the significantly higher water uptake of the latter. Thus, the location of multiple cations on single aromatic rings in the polymers facilitates the formation of a distinct percolating hydrophilic phase domain with a high ionic concentration to promote efficient anion transport, despite probable limitations by reduced ion dissociation. These findings imply a viable strategy to improve the performance of alkaline membrane fuel cells.

Assessing the influence of side-chain and main-chain aromatic benzyltrimethyl ammonium on anion exchange membranes

3,3'-Di(4″-methyl-phenyl)-4,4'-difluorodiphenyl sulfone (DMPDFPS), a new monomer with two pendent benzyl groups, was easily prepared by Suzuki coupling reaction in high yield. A series of side-chain type ionomers (PAES-Qs) containing pendant side-chain benzyltrimethylammonium groups, which linked to the backbone by alkaline resisting conjugated C-C bonds, were synthesized via polycondensation, bromination, followed by quaternization and alkalization. To assess the influence of side-chain and main-chain aromatic benzyltrimethylammonium on anion exchange membranes (AEMs), the main-chain type ionomers (MPAES-Qs) with the same backbone were synthesized following the similar procedure. GPC and (1)H NMR results indicate that the bromination shows no reaction selectivity of polymer configurations and ionizations of the side-chain type polymers display higher conversions than that of the main-chain type ones do. These two kinds of AEMs were evaluated in terms of ion exchange capacity (IEC), water uptake, swelling ratio, λ, volumetric ion exchange capacity (IECVwet), hydroxide conductivity, mechanical and thermal properties, and chemical stability, respectively. The side-chain type structure endows AEMs with lower water uptake, swelling ratio and λ, higher IECVwet, much higher hydroxide conductivity, more robust dimensional stability, mechanical and thermal properties, and higher stability in hot alkaline solution. The side-chain type cationic groups containing molecular configurations have the distinction of being practical AEMs and membrane electrode assemblies of AEMFCs.

Fabrication of a high-stability cross-linked quaternized poly(epichlorolydrin)/PTFE composite membrane via a facile route

A novel cross-linked quaternized composite anion-exchange membrane based on poly(epichlorohydrin) (PECH) was prepared by a facile route. First, PECH was cross-linked with 2-methylimidazole and combined with a poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) membrane to form cross-linked PECH/PTFE (CPECH/PTFE). Then, CPECH/PTFE was quaternized by 1-methylimidazole to obtain cross-linked quaternized PECH/PTFE (CQPECH/PTFE). (1)H NMR and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic data indicated that CQPECH was successfully synthesized, and the CQPECH/PTFE membrane had a dense and homogeneous structure demonstrated by the field-emission scanning electron microscopy. The results showed that the use of 2-methylimidazole as the cross-link agent could avoid the solubility of the composite membrane in water and dimethyl sulfoxide. With an increase of 2-methylimidazole, the solubility of the PECH ionomer was decreased. M-3, one of the CQPECH/PTFE membranes, showed good thermal properties (stable below 250 °C under an N2 atmosphere), excellent mechanical strength (a tensile strength of 67.3 MPa), moderate water uptake of 45.3%, and very low swelling degree of 9.01% at 30 °C. Besides, M-3 showed a hydroxide conductivity of up to 27 mS/cm and good long-term stability in a 1 M KOH solution at 60 °C for 15 days. In addition, a single H2/O2 fuel-cell test using M-3 at 50 °C indicated a peak power density of 23 mW/cm(2). These results suggested that the CQPECH/PTFE membrane had a good perspective for application in an alkaline fuel cell.

An electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance study of a prospective alkaline anion exchange membrane material for fuel cells: anion exchange dynamics and membrane swelling

A strategy has been devised to study the incorporation and exchange of anions in a candidate alkaline anion exchange membrane (AAEM) material for alkaline fuel cells using the electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) technique. It involves the electro-oxidation of methanol (CH3OH) under alkaline conditions to generate carbonate (CO3(2-)) and formate (HCOO(-)) ions at the electrode of a quartz crystal resonator coated with an AAEM film, while simultaneously monitoring changes in the frequency (Δf) and the motional resistance (ΔR(m)) of the resonator. A decrease in Δf, indicating an apparent mass increase in the film, and a decrease in ΔR(m), signifying a deswelling of the film, were observed during methanol oxidation. A series of additional QCM experiments, in which the effects of CH3OH, CO3(2-), and HCOO(-) were individually examined by changing the solution concentration of these species, confirmed the changes to be due to the incorporation of electrogenerated CO3(2-)/HCOO(-) into the film. Furthermore, the AAEM films were found to have finite anion uptake, validating the expected tolerance of the material to salt precipitation in the AAEM. The EQCM results obtained indicated that HCOO(-) and CO3(2-), in particular, interact strongly with the AAEM film and readily displace OH(-) from the film. Notwithstanding, the anion exchange between CO3(2-)/HCOO(-) and OH(-) was found to be reversible. It is also inferred that the film exhibits increased swelling in the OH(-) form versus the CO3(2-)/HCOO(-) form. Acoustic impedance analysis of the AAEM-film coated quartz resonators immersed in water showed that the hydrated AAEM material exhibits significant viscoelastic effects due to solvent plasticization.

Anion exchange membranes by bromination of benzylmethyl-containing poly(arylene ether)s for alkaline membrane fuel cells

Fast and safe fabrication of anion exchange membranes started with the bromination of poly(arylene ether)s containing tetramethyl triphenyl methane moieties.

New prospects for the synthesis of N-alkyl phosphonate/phosphonic acid-bearing oligo-chitosan

Water-soluble oligo-chitosan were functionalized with N-alkyl phosphonate/phosphonic acid groups via Kabachnik-Fields and epoxy-amine reactions.

Simple and facile synthesis of water-soluble poly(phosphazenium) polymer electrolytes

The synthesis and alkaline stability of a new class of water-soluble polymer electrolyte, poly(phosphazenium), is reported.

Highly stable alkaline polymer electrolyte based on a poly(ether ether ketone) backbone

Alkaline polymer electrolyte fuel cells (APEFCs) promise the use of nonprecious metal catalysts and thus have attracted much research attention in the recent decade. Among the challenges of developing practical APEFC technology, the chemical stability of alkaline polymer electrolytes (APEs) seems to be rather difficult. Research found that, upon attachment of a cationic functional group, an originally stable polymer backbone, such as polysulfone (PSF), would degrade in an alkaline environment. In the present work, we try to employ poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK), a very inert engineering plastic, as the backbone of APEs. The PEEK is functionalized with both a sulfonic acid (SA) group and a quaternary ammonia (QA) group, with the latter as the majority amount. Ionic cross-linking between SA and QA has rendered the thus-obtained membrane (xQAPEEK) with high mechanical strength and low swelling degree. More importantly, the xQAPEEK membrane exhibits outstanding stability in a 1 mol/L KOH solution at 80 °C for a test period of 30 days: the total weight loss of xQAPEEK is only 6 wt %, in comparison to a large degradation of quaternary ammonia PSF (more than 40 wt %) under the same conditions. Our findings not only have demonstrated an effective approach to preparing PEEK-based APE but also cast a new light on the development of highly stable APEs for fuel-cell application.