Constructing proton-conductive highways within an ionomer membrane by embedding sulfonated polymer brush modified graphene oxide

© 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Abstract Sulfonated polymer brush modified graphene oxide (SP-GO) fillers with controllable brush length are synthesized via the facile distillation-precipitation polymerization, and then incorporated into sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) matrix t...

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Main Authors: Zhao, L., Li, Y., Zhang, H., Wu, W., Liu, Jian, Wang, J.
Format: Journal Article
Published: Elsevier SA 2015
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/73437
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author Zhao, L.
Li, Y.
Zhang, H.
Wu, W.
Liu, Jian
Wang, J.
author_facet Zhao, L.
Li, Y.
Zhang, H.
Wu, W.
Liu, Jian
Wang, J.
author_sort Zhao, L.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Abstract Sulfonated polymer brush modified graphene oxide (SP-GO) fillers with controllable brush length are synthesized via the facile distillation-precipitation polymerization, and then incorporated into sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) matrix to fabricate composite membranes. The influences of SP-GO upon the microstructures, including thermal and mechanical properties, water uptake/swelling, proton conduction, H<inf>2</inf> permeability and single PEMFC performances of composite membranes are intensively investigated. It is found that the SP-GO fillers are uniformly dispersed and tend to lie perpendicularly to the cross-section surface of the whole membrane, which allow SP-GO fillers creating inter-connected and broad ionic pathways through the sulfonic acid groups in polymer brushes. Meanwhile, the SP-GO fillers connect the ionic clusters in SPEEK matrix via interfacial interactions. In such a way, proton-transfer highways are constructed along the SPEEK/SP-GO interface, which lower the proton transfer activation energy and enhance the proton conductivities of the composite membranes under both hydrated and anhydrous conditions. Furthermore, elevating the brush length on SP-GO could further enhance the proton conductivity. Compared to SPEEK control membrane, a 95.5% increase in hydrated conductivity, an 178% increase in anhydrous conductivity and a 37% increase in maximum power density are obtained for the optimal composite membrane.
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publishDate 2015
publisher Elsevier SA
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-734372018-12-14T01:02:56Z Constructing proton-conductive highways within an ionomer membrane by embedding sulfonated polymer brush modified graphene oxide Zhao, L. Li, Y. Zhang, H. Wu, W. Liu, Jian Wang, J. © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Abstract Sulfonated polymer brush modified graphene oxide (SP-GO) fillers with controllable brush length are synthesized via the facile distillation-precipitation polymerization, and then incorporated into sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) matrix to fabricate composite membranes. The influences of SP-GO upon the microstructures, including thermal and mechanical properties, water uptake/swelling, proton conduction, H<inf>2</inf> permeability and single PEMFC performances of composite membranes are intensively investigated. It is found that the SP-GO fillers are uniformly dispersed and tend to lie perpendicularly to the cross-section surface of the whole membrane, which allow SP-GO fillers creating inter-connected and broad ionic pathways through the sulfonic acid groups in polymer brushes. Meanwhile, the SP-GO fillers connect the ionic clusters in SPEEK matrix via interfacial interactions. In such a way, proton-transfer highways are constructed along the SPEEK/SP-GO interface, which lower the proton transfer activation energy and enhance the proton conductivities of the composite membranes under both hydrated and anhydrous conditions. Furthermore, elevating the brush length on SP-GO could further enhance the proton conductivity. Compared to SPEEK control membrane, a 95.5% increase in hydrated conductivity, an 178% increase in anhydrous conductivity and a 37% increase in maximum power density are obtained for the optimal composite membrane. 2015 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/73437 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2015.04.005 Elsevier SA restricted
spellingShingle Zhao, L.
Li, Y.
Zhang, H.
Wu, W.
Liu, Jian
Wang, J.
Constructing proton-conductive highways within an ionomer membrane by embedding sulfonated polymer brush modified graphene oxide
title Constructing proton-conductive highways within an ionomer membrane by embedding sulfonated polymer brush modified graphene oxide
title_full Constructing proton-conductive highways within an ionomer membrane by embedding sulfonated polymer brush modified graphene oxide
title_fullStr Constructing proton-conductive highways within an ionomer membrane by embedding sulfonated polymer brush modified graphene oxide
title_full_unstemmed Constructing proton-conductive highways within an ionomer membrane by embedding sulfonated polymer brush modified graphene oxide
title_short Constructing proton-conductive highways within an ionomer membrane by embedding sulfonated polymer brush modified graphene oxide
title_sort constructing proton-conductive highways within an ionomer membrane by embedding sulfonated polymer brush modified graphene oxide
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/73437