A series of anion conductive aromatic ionomers, poly(arylene ether)s containing various polymer backbones and quaternary ammonium basic group functioned tetraphenyl methane moieties, were synthesized via nucleophi
lic substitution polycondensation, chloromethylation, quaternization, and the subsequent alka
lization reactions. The structures of poly(arylene ether)s (PAEs), chloromethylated poly(arylene ether)s (CMPAEs), and quaternizated poly(arylene ether)s (QPAEs) ionomers were confirmed by
1H NMR technique. Their thermal stabi
lities were evaluated by thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA). The water uptakes, ion exchange capacities (IEC), hydroxide ion conductivities, mechanical properties, and chemical stabi
lities of the membranes derived from the synthesized ionomers were assessed as anion exchange membranes. The QPAEs membranes were tough and thermally stable up to 170 掳C. The IEC of the ionomers varied from 0.21 to 2.38 meq g
鈥? which can be controlled by chloromethylation reaction conditions. The ion conductivities of QPAEs membranes increase dramatically with increasing temperature. The hydroxide ion transport activation energy,
Ea, of the QPAEs membranes varied from 13.18 to 42.30 kJ mol
鈥?. The QPAE-d membrane with lower IEC value of 1.04 meq g
鈥?, derived from copolymer CMPAE-d bearing sulfone/ketone structure, displayed the highest hydroxide ion conductivity of 75 mS cm
鈥? at 80 掳C and showed strong tensile strength (29.2 MPa) at 25 掳C. The QPAE-e membrane with IEC value of 1.09 meq g
鈥?, derived from copolymer CMPAE-e bearing sulfone/ketone鈥搆etone structure, demonstrated 68 mS cm
鈥? at 80 掳C. The QPAE-d membrane kept 90% of mechanical properties and 82% of hydroxide ion conductivity after being conditioned with 1 M NaOH at 60 掳C for 170 h. These properties of the ionomers membranes show their potential as an anion exchange membrane of alka
line fuel cells.
Keywords:
Poly(arylene ether)s; ionomers; chloromethylation; quaternization; line+anion+exchange+membrane&qsSearchArea=searchText">alkaline anion exchange membrane; polymer electrolyte