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Highly Fluorinated Comb-Shaped Copolymers as Proton Exchange Membranes (PEMs): Improving PEM Properties Through Rational Design†

  1. T. B. Norsten1,5,
  2. M. D. Guiver1,
  3. J. Murphy1,
  4. T. Astill2,3,
  5. T. Navessin2,
  6. S. Holdcroft2,3,
  7. B. L. Frankamp4,
  8. V. M. Rotello4,
  9. J. Ding1

Article first published online: 8 AUG 2006

DOI: 10.1002/adfm.200500763

Issue

Advanced Functional Materials

Advanced Functional Materials

Volume 16, Issue 14, pages 1814–1822, September, 2006

Additional Information

How to Cite

Norsten, T., Guiver, M., Murphy, J., Astill, T., Navessin, T., Holdcroft, S., Frankamp, B., Rotello, V. and Ding, J. (2006), Highly Fluorinated Comb-Shaped Copolymers as Proton Exchange Membranes (PEMs): Improving PEM Properties Through Rational Design. Advanced Functional Materials, 16: 1814–1822. doi: 10.1002/adfm.200500763

Author Information

  1. 1

    Institute for Chemical Process and Environmental Technology, National Research Council of Canada, 1200 Montreal Road, Ottawa, ON K1A 0R6, Canada

  2. 2

    Institute for Fuel Cell Innovation, National Research Council, 3250 East Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1W5, Canada

  3. 3

    Department of Chemistry, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada

  4. 4

    Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA

  5. 5

    Present address: Xerox Research Center of Canada, 2660 Speakman Drive, Mississauga, Ontario L5K 2L1, Canada

  1. †

    NRCC Publication number 47874. This work was financially supported by the NRC Fuel Cell program; the MRSEC program at U. Mass. (DMR-0213695) is acknowledged for instrumentation. The authors are grateful to Dashan Wang for TEM analysis and Dr. Mike Day for his valuable assistance. T. B. N. is indebted to Roy Shenhar for helpful discussions. Supporting Information is available online from Wiley InterScience or from the author.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 12 SEP 2006
  2. Article first published online: 8 AUG 2006
  3. Manuscript Revised: 25 JAN 2006
  4. Manuscript Received: 1 NOV 2005

Funded by

  • NRC Fuel Cell program

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Keywords:

  • Block copolymers;
  • Copolymers;
  • Fuel cells;
  • Membranes, proton exchange

Graphical Abstract

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Morphological control of polymer microstructure is pursued as a strategy to improve proton conductivity and minimize swelling due to hydration in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (see figure). A highly fluorinated comb-shaped polymer, which forms distinct microphase separated domains (figure inset) resulting in membranes with relatively high proton conductivities and correspondingly low degrees of swelling, is prepared.

Abstract

A new class of comb-shaped polymers for use as a proton conducting membrane is presented. The polymer is designed to combine the beneficial physical, chemical, and structural attributes of fluorinated Nafion-like materials with higher-temperature, polyaromatic-based polymer backbones. The comb-shaped polymer unites a rigid, polyaromatic, hydrophobic backbone with lengthy hydrophilic polymer side chains; this combination affords direct control over the polymer nanostructure within the membrane and results in distinct microphase separation between the opposing domains. The microphase separation serves to compartmentalize water into the hydrophilic polymer side chain domains, resulting in effective membrane water management and excellent proton conductivities.

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