Phosphonated fully aromatic polyethers for PEMFCs applications

New homopolymers and copolymers based on aromatic polyethers bearing side diphosphonate and diphosphonic groups have been synthesized. These synthetic efforts resulted in homo and copolymers of high thermal stability but moderate molecular weights. To evaluate the influence of the immobilized phosphonate ester and phosphonic acid moieties on polymer electrolyte membranes for fuel cells applications, blends of the newly synthesized homo and copolymers with a pyridine‐based aromatic polyether were prepared. These blends were miscible with high glass transition temperatures and high thermal stabilities. Furthermore, the introduction of these groups to a polymeric backbone significantly increases the doping ability in phosphoric acid compared to the net matrix as well as the ionic conductivity for high doping levels. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 2817–2827, 2010