Work

Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Perfluoro Aromatic Side Chain Sulfonated PSU Ionomers

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Polyethersulfone (PSU) as a commercially available polymer offers many different opportunities for functionalization for diverse fields of application, for example, electrophilic substitutions like sulfonation and bromination or nucleophilic reactions such as lithiation. This study presents three different polysulfone derivatives, first functionalized by a lithiation reaction, followed by a reaction with carbonyl compounds containing pentafluorophenyl groups. In the last step, the pentafluorophenyl moieties of the modified PSU were sulfonated by thiolation and subsequent oxidation to sulfonic acid groups. Those novel PSU derivatives were characterized by NMR, DSC, TGA, GPC, and titration. Based on these ionomers, we show the fabrication of pure and acid-base blend membranes with promising proton conductivities. These novel sulfonic acid groups containing materials are potentially promising candidates for membranes or ionomers in electrochemical applications such as proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWEs), or redox flow batteries (RFBs).

Source: ACS Polymers Au

DOI: 10.1021/acspolymersau.4c00059

Authors: Philipp Martschin, Vladimir Atanasov, Simon Thiele, Jochen Kerres

Institutions: Forschungszentrum Jülich, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Helmholtz Institute Erlangen-Nürnberg, University of Stuttgart, North-West University

Language: English

Topic: Fuel Cells and Related Materials

Subfield: Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,500

Funders: Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Bayerische Staatsministerium für Wirtschaft, Landesentwicklung und Energie