Poly(arylene ether)s with pendant perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acid groups as proton-exchange membrane materials

Abstract

New membranes were prepared and evaluated as polymer electrolytes for PEMFCs. Polymers with PSU in the main chain and -C(O)(CF2) 3SO3H in the side chain (PSU-PSA) were synthesized by substitution of PSU-Li and SFBF, followed by treatment with aqueous potassium hydroxide then sulfuric acid. The proton conductivity of PSU-PSA with an ion exchange capacity (IEC) of 1.12 mmol · g-1 was 0.091 S · cm-1 at 80°C under 100% relative humidity. A hydrogen/air PEMFC test of PSU-PSA with an IEC value of 1.12 mmol · g-1 produced a maximum power output of 0.265 W · cm -2. A DMA measurement revealed that PSU-PSA had an α-relaxation temperature around 196°C which is higher than the value reported for Nafion.(Figure Presented) © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.