Alkaline anion exchange membranes derived from diphenylethylene and co-monomer feedstock

Patent · Mon Dec 27 23:00:00 EST 2021

OSTI ID:1860198

Lee, Sangwoo; Bae, Chulsung; Briem, Musashi J.; Park, Sungmin

The anion exchange membranes exhibit enhanced chemical stability and ion conductivity when compared with traditional styrene-based alkaline anion exchange membranes. A copolymer backbone is polymerized from a reaction medium that includes a diphenylalkylene and an alkadiene. The copolymer includes a plurality of pendant phenyl groups. The diphenyl groups on the polymer backbone are functionalized with one or more haloalkylated precursor substrates. The terminal halide from the precursor substrate can then be substituted with a desired ionic group. The diphenylethylene-based alkaline anion exchange membranes lack the .alpha.-hydrogens sharing tertiary carbons with phenyl groups from polystyrene or styrene-based precursor polymers, resulting in higher chemical stability. The ionic groups are also apart from each other by about 3 to 6 carbons in the polymer backbone, enhancing ion conductivity. These membrane are advantageous for use in fuel cells, electrolyzers employing hydrogen, ion separations, etc.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; National Science Foundation (NSF)
• DOE Contract Number: AC52-06NA25396
• Assignee: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, NY)
• Patent Number(s): 11,207,672
• Application Number: 17/287,639
• OSTI ID: 1860198
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English