Proton Conducting Membranes Based on Benzimidazole Sulfonic Acid Doped Sulfonated Poly(Oxadiazole–Triazole) Copolymer for Low Humidity Operation

✍ Scribed by M. L. Ponce; M. Boaventura; D. Gomes; A. Mendes; L. M. Madeira; S. P. Nunes

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2008
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 688 KB
• Volume: 8
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1615-6846
• DOI: 10.1002/fuce.200800012

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

This work reports for the first time the preparation of sulphonated poly(oxadiazole–triazole) copolymer membranes doped with amphoteric molecule, 1H‐benzimidazole‐2‐sulphonic acid and their characterisation as proton conductors at 120 °C and low humidity. The membranes had not only high proton conductivities, up to 4 × 10^–3^ S cm^–1^ at 120 °C and low relative humidity (5 and 10%), but also had good mechanical properties with a storage modulus of about 3 GPa at 300 °C and high thermal stability with T~g~ up to around 420 °C. Because of their superior ion conducting and mechanical properties they have potential as a proton conducting membrane for fuel cell applications, in particular at high temperature and extremely low‐humidity conditions.