Transport properties of multiblock hydrophilic-hydrophobic proton exchange membranes for fuel cells

FUEL 173

Abhishek Roy, aroy@vt.edu1, Hae-Seung Lee, hslee@vt.edu1, Anand S. Badami, abadami@vt.edu1, Xiang Yu, xiangyu@vt.edu1, Yanxiang Li, lyxiang@vt.edu1, Thomas E. Glass, tglass@vt.edu1, and James E. McGrath, jmcgrath@vt.edu2. (1) Macromolecules and Interfaces Institute and Department of Chemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, (2) Macromolecules and Interfaces Institute and Department of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, 2108 Hahn Hall, West Campus Drive, Blacksburg, VA 24061
Multiblock copolymers, composed of hydrophobic poly imide blocks and hydrophilic poly (arylene ether sulfone) blocks, were synthesized and studied as potential candidates for proton exchange membranes (PEM). Under fully hydrated conditions all the multiblock copolymers showed similar proton conductivity. However under partially hydrated conditions the proton conductivity was found to be a function of block lengths and was comparable to Nafion. The self diffusion coefficient of water was measured using the PGSE NMR technique. The value was found to increase with increasing block lengths. The multiblock copolymers also showed significantly lower methanol permeability than a Nafion control.
 

Fuel Cell Chemistry and Operation
1:35 PM-4:30 PM, Tuesday, 12 September 2006 Palace -- Gold Ballroom, Oral

Division of Fuel Chemistry

The 232nd ACS National Meeting, San Francisco, CA, September 10-14, 2006