Title: Nanostructured polymer membranes for proton conduction

Abstract

Polymers having an improved ability to entrain water are characterized, in some embodiments, by unusual humidity-induced phase transitions. The described polymers (e.g., hydrophilically functionalized block copolymers) have a disordered state and one or more ordered states (e.g., a lamellar state, a gyroid state, etc.). In one aspect, the polymers are capable of undergoing a disorder-to-order transition while the polymer is exposed to an increasing temperature at a constant relative humidity. In some aspects the polymer includes a plurality of portions, wherein a first portion forms proton-conductive channels within the membrane and wherein the channels have a width of less than about 6 nm. The described polymers are capable of entraining and preserving water at high temperature and low humidity. Surprisingly, in some embodiments, the polymers are capable of entraining greater amounts of water with the increase of temperature. The polymers can be used in Polymer Electrolyte Membranes in fuel cells.

Inventors:

Balsara, Nitash Pervez; Park, Moon Jeong

Issue Date:

Tue Jun 18 00:00:00 EDT 2013

Research Org.:

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE

OSTI Identifier:

1084194

Patent Number(s):

8465883

Application Number:

12/667,219

Assignee:

The Regents of the University of California (Oakland, CA)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):

B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B01 - PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL B01D - SEPARATION

B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B01 - PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL B01J - CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY

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B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B01 - PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL B01D - SEPARATION

B01D2325/021 - Characteristic pore shapes
B01D2325/14 - Membrane materials having negatively charged functional groups
B01D2325/36 - Hydrophilic membranes
B01D2325/38 - Hydrophobic membranes
B01D69/02 - characterised by their properties
B01D71/26 - Polyalkenes
B01D71/28 - Polymers of vinyl aromatic compounds
B01D71/80 - Block polymers

B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B01 - PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL B01J - CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY

B01J47/12 - characterised by the use of ion-exchange material in the form of ribbons, filaments, fibres or sheets, e.g. membranes

C - CHEMISTRY C08 - ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS C08F - MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS

C08F2800/20 - as weight or mass percentages
C08F297/04 - polymerising vinyl aromatic monomers and conjugated dienes
C08F297/046 - {polymerising vinyl aromatic monomers and isoprene, optionally with other conjugated dienes}
C08F8/04 - Reduction, e.g. hydrogenation
C08F8/36 - Sulfonation

C - CHEMISTRY C08 - ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS C08J - WORKING-UP

C08J2353/02 - of vinyl aromatic monomers and conjugated dienes
C08J3/24 - Crosslinking, e.g. vulcanising, of macromolecules
C08J5/2243 - {obtained by introduction of active groups capable of ion-exchange into compounds of the type C08J5/2231}

H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01B - CABLES

H01B1/122 - {Ionic conductors}

H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01M - PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY

H01M2300/0082 - Organic polymers
H01M8/1023 - having only carbon, e.g. polyarylenes, polystyrenes or polybutadiene-styrenes
H01M8/1065 - characterised by the form, e.g. perforated or wave-shaped
H01M8/1067 - characterised by their physical properties, e.g. porosity, ionic conductivity or thickness

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

Y02E60/50 - Fuel cells

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DOE Contract Number:  

AC02-05CH11231

Resource Type:

Patent

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE