Anionic quaternary ammonium fluorous copolymers bearing thermo-responsive grafts for fuel cells

作者：Wu, Liang; Li, Chuanrun; Tao, Zhen; Wang, Hao; Ran, Jin; Bakangura, Erigene; Zhang, Zhenghui; Xu, Tongwen^*

来源：International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2014, 39(17): 9387-9396.

DOI：10.1016/j.ijhydene.2014.04.070

• Atom transfer radical polymerization
• Anion exchange membrane
• Thermo-responsive grafts
• Hydroxide conductivity
• Fuel cell

Fluorous copolymers are synthesized by grafting quaternary ammonium-functionalized 4-vinylbenzyl chloride (QVBC) and N-Isopropyl acrylamide (NIPAAM) from poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Ionic PQVBC and thermo-responsive PNIPAAM grafts are characterized by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (H-1 NMR) spectroscopy. Polarity difference between flexible grafts and rigid fluorous backbones allows convenient formation of ionic clusters, which impart resultant membranes excellent hydroxide conductivities in the range of 21-52 mS cm(-1) at 20 degrees C, and up to 98 mS cm(-1) at 70 degrees C. Moreover, amide-amide interactions between thermo-responsive grafts at high temperature can mitigate water swelling of hydrophilic clusters. This study suggests that the fluorous copolymer bearing both ionic and thermo-responsive grafts holds a promising selectivity as novel materials for anion exchange membrane with enhanced hydroxide conductivity and controlled water swelling.

• 出版日期2014-6-5
• 单位安徽中医药大学; 中国科学技术大学