Proton Conducting Sulfonated Poly(Ionic Liquid) Block Copolymers

Sun, Rui; Agrawal, Mahesh; Neyerlin, Kenneth C.; Snyder, Joshua D.; Elabd, Yossef A.

doi:10.1021/acs.macromol.2c00468

Proton Conducting Sulfonated Poly(Ionic Liquid) Block Copolymers

Journal Article · Tue Jul 19 04:00:00 EDT 2022 · Macromolecules

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.macromol.2c00468· OSTI ID:2228287

^[1]; Agrawal, Mahesh ^[2]; ^[3]; ^[4]; ^[2]

Texas A&M University, College Station, TX (United States); Drexel University
Texas A&M University, College Station, TX (United States)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA (United States)

Herein, we report the synthesis of proton-conducting sulfonated poly(ionic liquid) block copolymers (S-PILBCPs) containing one block with sulfonic acid (sulfonated styrene, SS) and the other with an IL moiety (vinylbenzylmethylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, VBMIm-TFSI) using reversible addition–fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) polymerization and post-polymerization modifications (i.e., functionalization, anion exchange reactions, and sulfonation). The S-PILBCPs uniquely conjoin the SS block with mobile protons (H⁺) and the PIL block with mobile anions (TFSI^–), where multiple highly desired properties, including high proton conductivity (from the SS block), and high IL-philicity and oxygen solubility (from the PIL block) can exist compartmentally within a microphase separated morphology (evidenced by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS)). High ion conductivity of 79.7 mS/cm at a PIL block composition of 21.6 mol % was observed at 80 °C and 90% relative humidity (RH) (comparable to the benchmark Nafion ionomer). This work successfully demonstrates the design of S-PILBCPs as a new material platform and showcases its promise as an ionomer for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) as they simultaneously and compartmentally combine proton conductivity and oxygen solubility. Furthermore, these benefits have recently been leveraged to achieve substantial improvement in oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity and subsequently fuel cell performance.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Office of Sustainable Transportation. Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO)

Grant/Contract Number:: EE0008434; AC36-08GO28308

OSTI ID:: 2228287

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1888784

Journal Information:: Macromolecules, Journal Name: Macromolecules Journal Issue: 15 Vol. 55; ISSN 0024-9297

Publisher:: American Chemical SocietyCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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