TY - JOUR

T1 - H+-conducting aromatic multiblock copolymer and blend membranes and their application in pem electrolysis

AU - Bender, Johannes

AU - Mayerhöfer, Britta

AU - Trinke, Patrick

AU - Bensmann, Boris

AU - Hanke-Rauschenbach, Richard

AU - Krajinovic, Katica

AU - Thiele, Simon

AU - Kerres, Jochen

N1 - Funding Information: Funding: We gratefully acknowledge the financial support from “Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung” (BMBF, Grant No. /03SF0536 F, B, and C) in the framework of the project “POWER-MEE”.

PY - 2021/10/9

Y1 - 2021/10/9

N2 - As an alternative to common perfluorosulfonic acid-based polyelectrolytes, we present the synthesis and characterization of proton exchange membranes based on two different concepts: (i) Covalently bound multiblock-co-ionomers with a nanophase-separated structure exhibit tunable properties depending on hydrophilic and hydrophobic components’ ratios. Here, the blocks were synthesized individually via step-growth polycondensation from either partially fluorinated or sulfonated aromatic monomers. (ii) Ionically crosslinked blend membranes of partially fluorinated polybenzimidazole and pyridine side-chain-modified polysulfones combine the hydrophilic component’s high proton conductivities with high mechanical stability established by the hydrophobic components. In addition to the polymer synthesis, membrane preparation, and thorough characterization of the obtained materials, hydrogen permeability is determined using linear sweep voltammetry. Furthermore, initial in situ tests in a PEM electrolysis cell show promising cell performance, which can be increased by optimizing electrodes with regard to binders for the respective membrane material.

AB - As an alternative to common perfluorosulfonic acid-based polyelectrolytes, we present the synthesis and characterization of proton exchange membranes based on two different concepts: (i) Covalently bound multiblock-co-ionomers with a nanophase-separated structure exhibit tunable properties depending on hydrophilic and hydrophobic components’ ratios. Here, the blocks were synthesized individually via step-growth polycondensation from either partially fluorinated or sulfonated aromatic monomers. (ii) Ionically crosslinked blend membranes of partially fluorinated polybenzimidazole and pyridine side-chain-modified polysulfones combine the hydrophilic component’s high proton conductivities with high mechanical stability established by the hydrophobic components. In addition to the polymer synthesis, membrane preparation, and thorough characterization of the obtained materials, hydrogen permeability is determined using linear sweep voltammetry. Furthermore, initial in situ tests in a PEM electrolysis cell show promising cell performance, which can be increased by optimizing electrodes with regard to binders for the respective membrane material.

KW - Acid–base blend membranes

KW - Electrolyzer

KW - Hydrogen crossover

KW - MEA

KW - Multiblock-co-ionomers

KW - Partially fluorinated and sulfonated poly(arylene)s

KW - PEM

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85117188711&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3390/polym13203467

DO - 10.3390/polym13203467

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85117188711

VL - 13

JO - Polymers

JF - Polymers

SN - 2073-4360

IS - 20

M1 - 3467

ER -