Effect of Increased Ionic Liquid Uptake via Thermal Annealing on Mechanical Properties of Polyimide-Poly(ethylene glycol) Segmented Block Copolymer Membranes

Proton exchange membranes (PEMs) suffer performance degradation under certain conditions—temperatures greater than 80 °C, relative humidity less than 50%, and water retention less than 22%. Novel materials are needed that have improved water retention, stability at higher temperatures, flexibility, conductivity, and the ability to function at low humidity. This work focuses on polyimide-poly(ethylene glycol) (PI-PEG) segmented block copolymer (SBC) membranes with high conductivity and mechanical strength. Membranes were prepared with one of two ionic liquids (ILs), either ethylammonium nitrate (EAN) or propylammonium nitrate (PAN), incorporated within the membrane structure to enhance the proton exchange capability. Ionic liquid uptake capacities were compared for two different temperatures, 25 and 60 °C. Then, conductivities were measured for a series of combinations of undoped or doped unannealed and undoped or doped annealed membranes. Stress and strain tests were performed for unannealed and thermally annealed undoped membranes. Later, these experiments were repeated for doped unannealed and thermally annealed. Mechanical and conductivity data were interpreted in the context of prior small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) studies on similar materials. We have shown that varying the compositions of polyimide-poly(ethylene glycol) (PI-PEG) SBCs allowed the morphology in the system to be tuned. Since polyimides (PI) are made from the condensation of dianhydrides and diamines, this was accomplished using components having different functional groups. Dianhydrides having either fluorinated or oxygenated functional groups and diamines having either fluorinated or oxygenated diamines were used as well as mixtures of these species. Changing the morphology by creating macrophase separation elevated the IL uptake capacities, and in turn, increased their conductivities by a factor of three or more compared to Nafion 115. The stiffness of the membranes synthesized in this work was comparable to Nafion 115 and, thus, sufficient for practical applications.     

Crosslinking of sulphonated poly (ether ether ketone) using aromatic bis(hydroxymethyl) compound

2,6-Bis(hydroxymethyl)-4-methyl phenol and 1,4-bis(hydroxymethyl) benzene have been used as crosslinkers in sulphonated poly (ether ether ketone) (SPEEK DS 65%, IEC 1.84 mequiv./g) for the preparation of proton exchange membranes (PEMs). Crosslinking of SPEEK has been achieved by thermally activated bridging of the polymer chain with the hydroxymethyl group of crosslinker through condensation reaction with sulphonic acid group. The physico-chemical properties of uncrosslinked and crosslinked membrane were evaluated in terms of ion exchange capacity (IEC), water uptake, ionic conductivity and mechanical properties. The crosslinked membrane showed controlled swelling, ionic conductivity of 25–50 mS/cm at 80 °C and good mechanical properties. The chemical stability of the crosslinked membranes was studied by Fenton's test. The % loss in weight and changes in physico-chemical properties of the treated membranes were determined.     

Preparation and characterization of inorganic–organic hybrid proton exchange membranes based on phosphorylated PVA and PEG-grafted silica particles

We reported proton-conducting membranes with novel microstructure based on partially phosphorylated poly(vinyl alcohol) (P-PVA) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) grafted silica (PEG-SiO₂) particles. The PEG-SiO₂ particles were synthesized through acid catalyzed hydrolysis and condensation reactions. The membranes were characterized for their mechanical, structural, morphological, and electrical properties by employing tensile test, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), impedance analyzer, respectively. In these membranes, P-PVA acts as the proton source and PEG act as the proton solvent. The PEG-riched phases in the hybrid membrane form continuous ionic conducting pathways and subsequently give high ionic conductivity. The results suggest that the obtained membrane shows good thermal stability, excellent mechanical property and high ionic conductivity, and the low-cost hybrid membrane can be a promising candidate for intermediate temperature fuel cell systems.     

Effect of Fatty Acid Polyunsaturation on Synthesis and Properties of Emulsion Polymers Based on Plant Oil-Based Acrylic Monomers

This study demonstrated that polymerization behavior of plant oil-based acrylic monomers (POBMs) synthesized in one-step transesterification reaction from naturally rich in oleic acid olive, canola, and high-oleic soybean oils is associated with a varying mass fraction of polyunsaturated fatty acid fragments (linoleic (C18:2) and linolenic (C18:3) acid esters) in plant oil. Using miniemulsion polymerization, a range of stable copolymer latexes was synthesized from 60 wt.% of each POBM and styrene to determine the impact of POBM chemical composition (polyunsaturation) on thermal and mechanical properties of the resulted polymeric materials. The unique composition of each plant oil serves as an experimental tool to determine the effect of polyunsaturated fatty acid fragments on POBM polymerization behavior and thermomechanical properties of crosslinked films made from POBM-based latexes. The obtained results show that increasing polyunsaturation in the copolymers results in an enhanced crosslink density of the latex polymer network which essentially impacts the mechanical properties of the films (both Young’s modulus and toughness). Maximum toughness was observed for crosslinked latex films made from 50 wt.% of each POBM in the monomer feed.     

Solid polymer electrolytes III: Preparation,characterization, and ionic conductivity of new gelled polymer electrolytes based on segmented,perfluoropolyether‐modified polyurethane

New segmented polyurethanes with perfluoropolyether (PFPE) and poly(ethylene oxide) blocks were synthesized from a fluorinated macrodiol mixed with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) in different ratios as a soft segment, 2,4‐toluene diisocyanate as a hard segment, and ethylene glycol as a chain extender. Fourier transform infrared, NMR, and thermal analysis [differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)] were used to characterize the structures of these copolymers. The copolymer films were immersed in a liquid electrolyte (1 M LiClO₄/propylene carbonate) to form gel‐type electrolytes. The ionic conductivities of these polymer electrolytes were investigated through changes in the copolymer composition and content of the liquid electrolyte. The relative molar ratio of PFPE and PEG in the copolymer played an important role in the conductivity and the capacity to retain the liquid electrolyte solution. The copolymer with a 50/50 PFPE/PEG ratio, having the lowest decomposition temperature shown by TGA, exhibited the highest ionic conductivity and lowest activation energy for ion transportation. The conductivities of these systems were about 10^?3 S cm^?1 at room temperature and 10^?2 S cm^?1 at 70 °C; the films immersed in the liquid electrolyte with an increase of 70 wt % were homogenous with good mechanical properties. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 486–495, 2002; DOI 10.1002/pola.10119     

Synthesis of poly(arylene ether sulfone)‐block‐sulfonated polybutadiene: the selective post‐sulfonation of block copolymers as proton exchange membranes

A series of poly(arylene ether sulfone)‐block‐sulfonated polybutadiene (PAES‐b‐sPB) with different ion exchange capacities (IECs) were synthesized and evaluated as proton exchange membranes (PEMs) for possible applications in fuel cells. These sulfonated block copolymers were synthesized via condensation reaction between modified PAES and PB prepolymers, followed by selective post‐sulfonation of PB blocks using acetyl sulfate as the sulfonating reagent. The sulfonic groups were only attached onto PB blocks due to the high reactivity of double bonds to acetyl sulfate. The success of synthesis and selective post‐sulfonation were all confirmed by the Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra. PAES‐b‐sPB had good film‐forming ability and thermal stability. Mechanical properties of membranes varied with the sulfonation. The presence of sulfonic groups increased the tensile strength and Young's modulus but decreased the elongation at break. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images showed large ionic aggregates in membranes. Phase separation as well as the interconnected sulfonate groups which only localized on flexible PB blocks led to these ionic domains. The proton conductivity increased with the increasing IEC and temperature. With relatively low IEC, most membranes still exhibited sufficient proton conductivity. The above results indicated this strategy could be a prospective choice to prepare novel PEMs. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Elastic, electronic and thermal properties of YSZ from first principles

First principles calculations were performed to investigate the elastic, electronic and thermal properties of 14% cubic yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) using the pseudo potential plane-wave method within the gradient generalized approximation (GGA) for the exchange and correlation potential. Computed lattice constant parameters are in good agreement with the available experimental results. The three independent elastic constants were computed by means of the stress-strain method, indicating that 14% cubic YSZ is a mechanically stable structure. From the knowledge of the elastic constants, a set of related properties, namely bulk, shear modulus, Young’s modulus, sound velocity, Debye temperature, thermal capacity and minimum thermal conductivity are numerically estimated in the frame work of the Voigt-Reuss-Hill approximation for YSZ polycrystalline. The calculated bulk modulus, shear modulus, Young’s modulus, sound velocity, Debye temperature, thermal capacity and minimum thermal conductivity are in reasonable agreement with the available experimental and theory data. Density of states, charge density and Mulliken population analysis show that the 14% cubic YSZ is covalent and possess ionic character.     

Structure characterizations and protein resistance of chitosan membranes selectively crosslinked by poly(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate

Chitosan (CS) is a fragile material with a high modulus of elasticity. Improving its flexibility as well as membrane permeability are the key aspects that need to be addressed for using CS as a biomaterial. Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) has several unique properties such as protein resistance, low toxicity, immunogenicity, and good solubility in both water and organic solvents. In this study, a vinyl compound was grafted to the C-6 position of CS by protection-grafting-deprotection. The vinyl CS was then crosslinked with PEG dimethacrylate (PEGDMA) selectively at its C-6 position to form CS-g-PEG copolymer membranes. Analyses from spectra of Fourier-transform infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance confirmed the chemical structure of the crosslinking CS-g-PEG copolymer membranes. Thermal and mechanical properties of the prepared CS-g-PEG membranes were measured and well-correlated to their structures. The incorporation of PEGDMA into the CS increased the material’s flexibility and thermal resistance. Finally, the CS-g-PEG membranes were found to have good protein resistance and blood compatibility; therefore, it has potential application as the biomedical material especially for hemodialysis.     

Poly(vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene)-based membranes for lithium batteries

Poly(vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene) (PVdF-HFP) copolymer membranes were prepared by a phase inversion technique with poly(ethylene glycol) as an additive and tetrahydrofuran or acetone or dimethylformamide as solvent. The morphology, ionic conductivity and uptake of electrolyte solution by the polymer membranes were studied. The amount of intake of electrolyte solution by the polymer membranes increases with the increase of PEG content. The morphology and ionic conductivity of the polymer membranes (PM) are correlated with the physical properties of the solvents used in the phase inversion process. The cycling behavior of the membrane was examined with Li/LiCoO₂ cells.     

Electrospun Aligned Poly(L-lactide)/Poly(ϵ-caprolactone) /Poly(ethylene glycol) Blend Fibrous Membranes

Aligned poly(L-lactide) (PLLA)/poly(?-caprolactone) (PCL)/poly(ethylene glycol)(PEG) fibrous membranes were fabricated by electrospinning. Their morphology, thermal stability, mechanical properties, hydrophilic properties and in vitro degradation behaviors were investigated. With increasing the content of PEG, the PLLA/PCL/PEG blend fibers become thinner due to the increment in solution conductivity and decrease in solution viscosity. The thermal stability, hydrophilic properties, the tensile strength and elongation-at-break of PLLA/PCL/PEG blend fibrous membranes were improved, but porosity were decreased with the content of PEG changing from 10 wt% to 30 wt%. Furthermore, the incorporation of PEG enhanced the degradation of the PLLA/PCL/PEG fibrous membranes due to the better hydrophilic properties. In addition, the PLLA/PCL/PEG fibrous membranes have no toxic effect on proliferation of adipose-derived stem cells.     

Morphology and mechanical response of S–B star block copolymer – Layered silicate nanocomposites

The influence on the mechanical response by incorporation of oligostyrene-modified montmorillonite (MMT) and oligostyrene-modified bentonite (BET) into star shaped styrene–butadiene block copolymer has been investigated. The modified silicates are highly intercalated with a gallery distance of more than 9 nm and partly exfoliated. The array of tactoids consisting of 1–8 layers showing uniform state of distribution as revealed from TEM. The layers of the modified MMT and BET are observed to undergo nano-confinement, i.e. restricted to the PS-domains of the styrene–butadiene star block copolymer with impinging/bridging effects of silicate layers through the SB soft phase. DMA studies have showed an appreciable shift of the glass transition temperatures of PB- and PS-rich phases towards higher temperatures in addition to an increase of the storage modulus due to nanoclay reinforcement. Generally the Young’s modulus and yield stress was strongly increased with the incorporation of modified nanoparticles whereas at the same time the strain at break reduces slightly. The elastic–plastic hysteresis–stress and the hysteresis–work are largely increased due to effective interfacial effect; an effect that is largely attributed to the presence of highly intercalated and partially exfoliated silicate layers. The extent of increase was more in the modified MMT than in the modified BET based nanocomposites. The stress-decay and the strain-recovery aspects have also been critically analyzed in relation to their micro-structural attributes. Our study fundamentally demonstrates two critical aspects related to mechanical properties and particularly with regard to elastic–plastic hysteresis response. Firstly, partial confinement of the silicate layers is promoted by PS-aided surface modification facilitating enhancement in mechanical properties and secondly, the nano-confinement of modified MMT seems to be more effective in improving the hysteresis performance when compared to BET with higher charge density.     

In situ crosslinking of polyoxometalate-polymer nanocomposites for robust high-temperature proton exchange membranes

The most practical high-temperature proton exchange membranes (PEMs) are phosphoric acid (PA)-doped polymer electrolytes. However, due to the plasticizing effect of PA, it is a challenge to address the trade-off between the proton conductivity and the mechanical performance of these materials. Here, we report an effective strategy to fabricate robust high-temperature PEMs based on the in situ electrostatic crosslinking of polyoxometalates and polymers. A comb copolymer poly(ether-ether-ketone)-grafted-poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) (PGE) with transformable side chains was synthesized and complexed with H₃PW₁₂O₄₀ (PW) by electrostatic self-assembly, forming PGE/PW nanocomposite membranes with bicontinuous nanostructures. After a subsequent PA-treatment of these membranes, high-temperature PEMs of PGE/PW/PA ternary nanocomposites were obtained, in which the in situ electrostatic crosslinking effect between PW and PGE side chains was generated in the hydrophilic domains of the bicontinuous structures. The microphase separation structure and the electrostatic crosslinking feature endow the PGE/PW/PA membranes with excellent anhydrous proton conductive ability while retaining high mechanical performance. The membranes show a high proton conductivity of 42.5 mS/cm at 150 °C and a high tensile strength of 13 MPa. Our strategy can pave a new route based on electrostatic control to design nanostructured polymer electrolytes.     

聚合物微观结构对聚合物电解质膜性能的影响

聚合物的微观结构是设计具有优异的电化学性能的聚合物电解质膜(PEMs)的基础.在电解质膜中,相分离结构形成的离子簇和离子通道可以影响膜在高温低湿度条件下的离子传导和水的传输,这种结构形成的形貌也可以影响膜的吸水率、溶胀度、碱稳定性等性能.近几年来,人们对于具有微观相分离形貌的PEMs的合成和形貌开展了很多研究.本文主要...     

From Infrared Spectra to Macroscopic Mechanical Properties of sH Gas Hydrates through Atomistic Calculations

The vibrational characteristics of gas hydrates are key identifying molecular features of their structure and chemical composition. Density functional theory (DFT)-based IR spectra are one of the efficient tools that can be used to distinguish the vibrational signatures of gas hydrates. In this work, ab initio DFT-based IR technique is applied to analyze the vibrational and mechanical features of structure-H (sH) gas hydrate. IR spectra of different sH hydrates are obtained at 0 K at equilibrium and under applied pressure. Information about the main vibrational modes of sH hydrates and the factors that affect them such as guest type and pressure are revealed. The obtained IR spectra of sH gas hydrates agree with experimental/computational literature values. Hydrogen bond’s vibrational frequencies are used to determine the hydrate’s Young’s modulus which confirms the role of these bonds in defining sH hydrate’s elasticity. Vibrational frequencies depend on pressure and hydrate’s O···O interatomic distance. OH vibrational frequency shifts are related to the OH covalent bond length and present an indication of sH hydrate’s hydrogen bond strength. This work presents a new route to determine mechanical properties for sH hydrate based on IR spectra and contributes to the relatively small database of gas hydrates’ physical and vibrational properties.     

Synthesis and performance study of a novel sulfonated polytriazole proton exchange membrane

Sulfonated polytriazole (SPTA) proton exchange membranes (PEMs) with a series of sulfonation degrees was synthesized based on click chemistry from a rigid diazide monomer, 4,4′-bis(azidomethyl)-1,1′-biphenyl (BAMB), with 2,2-bis[(4-propargyloxy)phenyl]propane (BPBPA) and 4,4′-diazido-2,2′-stilbenedisulfonic acid disodium salt (DSDA). The structure of the copolymers was characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). As a result of the introduction of rigid biphenyl structure and the ionic interaction between triazole rings and sulfonic acid groups, the SPTA membranes exhibited higher water uptake and lower swelling ratio compared to NRE211 membrane, indicating excellent dimensional stability. AC impedance revealed that the proton conductivity of SPTA membranes ranged from 2.5 to 35 mS/cm at 30 °C and 13–105 mS/cm at 80 °C. Besides, the membranes have high thermal and oxidative stability, good mechanical property, and low methanol permeability as well.     

燃料电池用聚合物质子交换膜的研究进展

质子交换膜（PEM）是质子交换膜燃料电池的核心组件之一,具有隔绝阴阳极、提供质子传递通道和阻止燃料渗透的作用. 商业化应用的全氟磺酸PEM存在燃料渗透严重、高温条件下导电性差和成本高的问题,开发性能优良的聚合物PEM显得很有必要. 本文讨论了近年来聚合物PEM的研究进展,分别从聚合物的主链、支链和交联结构角度介绍了分子结构对薄膜相分离、质子导电性、稳定性和电池性能等性能的影响,并讨论了聚合物分子结构设计方面存在的问题,最后对燃料电池用聚合物PEM在未来的发展方向进行了展望.     

A novel approach to prepare proton exchange membranes from fluoropolymer powder by pre-irradiation induced graft polymerization

A novel approach was developed to overcome the non-uniform distribution of grafted polystyrene (PS) chains across proton exchange membranes (PEMs) manufactured using radiation induced graft polymerization of commercialized fluoropolymer films. This process involves the three key steps of grafting of styrene into fluoropolymer powder, processing the grafted powder into membranes, and then obtaining the PEM by sulfonation of these membranes. The structure of the membranes and the PEMs were analyzed by means of infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscope with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM-EDX) to demonstrate the uniform distribution of poly(styrene-sulfonic acid) (denoted as PSSA) graft-chains across the PEM. The properties of the resulting PEMs, such as their ion exchange capacity (IEC), water uptake (WU), proton conductivity, dimensional stability, oxidative stability and thermal stability, were also investigated.     

Electrochemical studies on poly(vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene) membranes prepared by phase inversion method

The copolymer membranes, poly(vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene) (PVdF-HFP) were prepared by phase inversion method using poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) as an additive with acetone or dimethyl formamide as solvent. The morphology of the membranes has been greatly varied with the composition of the polymer and solvent. The ionic conductivity of the membranes were measured at various temperatures (−30 to 50 °C). The prepared membranes have been employed as separators in LiCoO₂/Li cells and were subjected to charge-discharge studies at 0.2 C - rate. The polymer membrane prepared with a ratio of PVdF-HFP (50):PEG (50) using dimethyl formamide as solvent delivered higher discharge capacity than the membranes prepared with acetone as solvent.     

The Synthesis of Poly(Vinyl Alcohol) Grafted with Fluorinated Protic Ionic Liquids Containing Sulfo Functional Groups

There has been an ongoing need to develop polymer materials with increased performance as proton exchange membranes (PEMs) for middle- and high-temperature fuel cells. Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) is a highly hydrophilic and chemically stable polymer bearing hydroxyl groups, which can be further altered. Protic ionic liquids (proticILs) have been found to be an effective modifying polymer agent used as a proton carrier providing PEMs’ desirable proton conductivity at high temperatures and under anhydrous conditions. In this study, the novel synthesis route of PVA grafted with fluorinated protic ionic liquids bearing sulfo groups (–SO₃H) was elaborated. The polymer functionalization with fluorinated proticILs was achieved by the following approaches: (i) the PVA acylation and subsequent reaction with fluorinated sultones and (ii) free-radical polymerization reaction of vinyl acetate derivatives modified with 1-methylimidazole and sultones. These modifications resulted in the PVA being chemically modified with ionic liquids of protic character. The successfully grafted PVA has been characterized using ¹H, ¹⁹F, and ¹³C-NMR and FTIR-ATR. The presented synthesis route is a novel approach to PVA functionalization with imidazole-based fluorinated ionic liquids with sulfo groups.     

Synthesis and characterization of bisulfonated poly(vinyl alcohol)/graphene oxide composite membranes with improved proton exchange capabilities

Composite membranes based on poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and graphene oxide (GO) were prepared by solution-casting method to be used as proton exchange membranes (PEMs) in fuel cell (FC) applications. Bisulfonation was employed as a strategy to enhance the proton conductivity of these membranes. First, a direct sulfonation of the polymer matrix was accomplished by intra-sulfonation of the polymer matrix with propane sultone, followed by the inter-sulfonation of the polymer chains using sulfosuccinic acid (SSA) as a crosslinking agent. Furthermore, the addition of graphene oxide (GO) as inorganic filler was also evaluated to enhance the proton-conducting of the composite membranes. These membranes were fully characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and tensile tests. Besides, the proton conductivity of these membranes in a fully hydrated state was also analyzed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The effect of the intra- and inter-sulfonation of the polymer matrix on the structural, morphological, thermal and mechanical properties of the membranes were determined. Increasing the density of sulfonic acid groups in the membranes resulted in a trade-off between a better proton conductivity (improving from 0.26 to 1.00 mS/cm) and a decreased thermal and mechanical stability. In contrast, the incorporation of GO nanoparticles into the polymer matrix improved the thermal and mechanical stability of both bisulfonated composite membranes. The proton conductivity appreciably increased by the combination of bisulfonation and introduction of GO nanoparticles into the polymer matrix. The sPVA/30SSA/GO composite membrane exhibited a proton conductivity of 1.95 mS/cm at 25 °C. The combination of the GO nanoparticles with the chemical bisulfonation approach of PVA allows thus assembling promising proton exchange membrane candidates for fuel cell applications.