Simultaneous Enhancements of Conductivity and Stability for Anion Exchange Membranes (AEMs) through Precise Structure Design

Polymeric materials as anion exchange membranes (AEMs) play an essential role in the field of energy and environment. The achievement of high performance AEMs by the precise manipulation of macromolecular architecture remains a daunting challenge. Herein, we firstly report a novel rod-coil graft copolymer AEM, possessing rigid hydrophobic main chains and soft hydrophilic graft chains. The low graft density, which can alleviate the adverse influences of ioinc graft chains on the main chains, was obtained by using the living polymerization technique. Consequently, the grafted ionic groups which result in the degradation of polymer backbone was decreased to a small degree. Moreover, the relatively long graft chains induced the nanophase separation between the hydrophobic polymer chains and hydrophilic graft chains, which creates a convinient pathway for high hydroxide ion mobility. Such an accurate molecular design simultaneously improves the hydroxide ion conductivity and alkaline stability as well as dimensional stability.

[1]  Andrzej Wieckowski,et al.  Electrocatalysis of oxygen reduction and small alcohol oxidation in alkaline media. , 2007, Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP.

[2]  Cy H. Fujimoto,et al.  Synthesis and Characterization of Poly(phenylene)-Based Anion Exchange Membranes for Alkaline Fuel Cells , 2009 .

[3]  R. Slade,et al.  Poly(ethylene-co-tetrafluoroethylene)-Derived Radiation-Grafted Anion-Exchange Membrane with Properties Specifically Tailored for Application in Metal-Cation-Free Alkaline Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells , 2007 .

[4]  Manabu Tanaka,et al.  Anion conductive block poly(arylene ether)s: synthesis, properties, and application in alkaline fuel cells. , 2011, Journal of the American Chemical Society.

[5]  Cy H. Fujimoto,et al.  Transport Properties of Hydroxide and Proton Conducting Membranes , 2008 .

[6]  M. Guiver,et al.  Phenyltrimethylammonium Functionalized Polysulfone Anion Exchange Membranes , 2012 .

[7]  Zhiqing Shi,et al.  Nanostructure, Morphology, and Properties of Fluorous Copolymers Bearing Ionic Grafts , 2009 .

[8]  Liang Wu,et al.  Enhancement of hydroxide conduction by self-assembly in anion conductive comb-shaped copolymers , 2013 .

[9]  Robert C. Wolpert,et al.  A Review of the , 1985 .

[10]  R. Slade,et al.  Prospects for Alkaline Anion‐Exchange Membranes in Low Temperature Fuel Cells , 2005 .

[11]  T. Xu,et al.  Fundamental studies of a new series of anion exchange membranes: membrane preparation and characterization , 2001 .

[12]  Jürgen Caro,et al.  Zeolite membranes – state of their development and perspective , 2000 .

[13]  O. Diat,et al.  Proton channels. , 2008, Nature materials.

[14]  M. Hickner,et al.  Alternative polymer systems for proton exchange membranes (PEMs). , 2004, Chemical reviews.

[15]  T. Sakamoto,et al.  Noble metal-free hydrazine fuel cell catalysts: EPOC effect in competing chemical and electrochemical reaction pathways. , 2011, Journal of the American Chemical Society.

[16]  Paul F. Mutolo,et al.  Tunable high performance cross-linked alkaline anion exchange membranes for fuel cell applications. , 2010, Journal of the American Chemical Society.

[17]  Timothy J. Peckham,et al.  Structure‐Morphology‐Property Relationships of Non‐Perfluorinated Proton‐Conducting Membranes , 2010, Advanced materials.

[18]  Liang Wu,et al.  Advances in proton-exchange membranes for fuel cells: an overview on proton conductive channels (PCCs). , 2013, Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP.

[19]  Paul F. Mutolo,et al.  A ring-opening metathesis polymerization route to alkaline anion exchange membranes: development of hydroxide-conducting thin films from an ammonium-functionalized monomer. , 2009, Journal of the American Chemical Society.

[20]  T. Sata,et al.  Studies on anion exchange membranes having permselectivity for specific anions in electrodialysis — effect of hydrophilicity of anion exchange membranes on permselectivity of anions , 2000 .

[21]  Jing Pan,et al.  Designing advanced alkaline polymer electrolytes for fuel cell applications. , 2012, Accounts of chemical research.

[22]  Dan Wu,et al.  Preparation and characterization of CPPO/BPPO blend membranes for potential application in alkaline direct methanol fuel cell , 2008 .

[23]  M. Guiver,et al.  Sulfonated hydrocarbon membranes for medium-temperature and low-humidity proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) , 2011 .

[24]  Dc Kitty Nijmeijer,et al.  Anion exchange membranes for alkaline fuel cells: A review , 2011 .

[25]  T. Xu.  Ion exchange membranes: State of their development and perspective , 2005 .

[26]  Jianfu Ding,et al.  Highly Fluorinated Comb‐Shaped Copolymers as Proton Exchange Membranes (PEMs): Improving PEM Properties Through Rational Design , 2006 .

[27]  Yao Li,et al.  A strategy for disentangling the conductivity–stability dilemma in alkaline polymer electrolytes , 2013 .

[28]  C. Arges,et al.  Two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy reveals cation-triggered backbone degradation in polysulfone-based anion exchange membranes , 2013, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

[29]  S. Holdcroft,et al.  Considerations of macromolecular structure in the design of proton conducting polymer membranes: graft versus diblock polyelectrolytes. , 2007, Journal of the American Chemical Society.

[30]  C. Tanford.  Macromolecules , 1994, Nature.