Sulfonated polymers containing polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) core for high performance proton exchange membranes

Jie Zhang, Fang Chen, Xiaoyan Ma, Xinghua Guan, Dongyang Chen, Michael A. Hickner

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

16 Scopus citations

Abstract

A series of POSS containing star-shaped block copolymers were synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), with POSS-(Cl)8 as initiator, polymethyl methacrylate as the first building block, and polystyrene as the second building block. Sulfonation of the polystyrene block yielded star-shaped ionic polymers POSS-(PMMA-b-SPS)8 that were evaluated as proton exchange membranes (PEMs) subsequently. Under low relative humidities (RHs), the PEM with longer SPS block exhibited higher proton conductivity than the PEM with shorter SPS block when compared at same hydration number (λ) conditions, which was attributed to the better connected hydrophilic domains of the former as evidenced by electron microscopes. However, this conductivity trend for the two PEMs was reversed at 100% RHs. Low field nuclear magnetic resonance analysis revealed that the PEM with shorter SPS block had more loosely bonded water than the PEM with longer SPS block at 100% RH, giving an explanation of why the conductivity trend was reversed. This study suggested that both ionic domain structure and water-polymer interaction are important parameters for achieving high proton conductivities.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)7135-7143
Number of pages9
JournalInternational Journal of Hydrogen Energy
Volume40
Issue number22
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 15 2015

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
  • Fuel Technology
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Energy Engineering and Power Technology

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