Pore-Filled PEMs from Poly(Phenylene Sulfonic Acid)s and Electrospun Poly(Phenylene Sulfone) Fiber Mats
A novel, composite, non-PFSA-based fuel cell membrane has been fabricated using a pore filling technique. The membrane consists of a mechanically stabilizing skeleton from an electrospun poly(phenylene sulfone) (PPSU) fiber mat and a thermally crosslinkable poly(phenylene sulfonic acid) (cPPSA) proton conducting ionomer that fills the interfiber voids. cPPSA copolymer was synthesized using Ullmann coupling copolymerization of 4,4-dibromobiphenyl 3,3-disulfonic acid with 1,4-dibromobenzene-2,5-disulfonic, followed by grafting a certain fraction of backbone sulfonic acid groups with biphenyl linker. The PPSU fiber mat was electrospun from NMP/acetone solution. Pore-filling was carried out by pouring a solution of cPPSA in methanol over the mat, followed by heating at 70°C to evaporate solvent. The cPPSA was crosslinked by an additional heating step, in a vacuum oven at 210°C for 5 hours. Here the resultant membrane had excellent proton conductivity, 5 times greater than that of Nafion® 211 in the 40-90% RH range at 80°C.
- Research Organization:
- Vanderbilt Univ., Nashville, TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
- Grant/Contract Number:
- EE0008435
- OSTI ID:
- 2143718
- Journal Information:
- ECS Transactions, Vol. 98, Issue 9; ISSN 1938-5862
- Publisher:
- Electrochemical SocietyCopyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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