Some approaches towards higher-temperature PEMs using fluorosulfonimide and fluoroalkylphosphonic acid ionomers

FUEL 174

Darryl D. DesMarteau, fluorin@clemson.edu, Arno Rettenbacher, aretten@clemson.edu, Iqbal Sharif, isharif@clemson.edu, Dong Qing Zhuang, DZHUANG@CLEMSON.EDU, and Stephen E. Creager, screage@clemson.edu. Department of Chemistry, Clemson University, Hunter Laboratories, P.O. Box 340973, Clemson, SC 29634-0973
Fluorinated superacid ionomers are widely used in PEM fuel cell technology. Most current materials are based on fluoroalkylsulfonic acids, however alternate approaches have been shown to provide materials with attractive properties including high ionic conductivity, excellent thermal stability, and excellent mechanical properties. This presentation will discuss recent results on synthesis and characterization of fluorinated ionomers that include fluorosulfonimide and fluorophosphonic acidic functionalities. Approaches involving blending of fluorosulfonimide ionomers of differing equivalent weights will be discussed, as will approaches toward synthesizing fluoroalkylphosphonic acid polymer electrolytes which have not previously been synthesized.