MULTIBLOCK COPOLYMERS CONTAINING HYDROPHILIC-HYDROPHOBIC SEGMENTS FOR PROTON EXCHANGE MEMBRANE

• Main Authors: HARRISON, WILLIAM, GHASSEMI, HOSSEIN, MCGRATH, JAMES, E, ZAWODZINSKI, TOM, A., JR
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French
• Published: 10.11.2005
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F,C08G; BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; CHEMISTRY; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON; COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; ELECTRICITY; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED OTHERWISE THAN BY REACTIONSONLY INVOLVING UNSATURATED CARBON-TO-CARBON BONDS; METALLURGY; ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSIONOF CHEMICAL INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY; REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGYGENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; WORKING-UP

Novel multiblock copolymers containing perfluorinated poly(arylene ether) as a hydrophobic segment and disulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) as a hydrophilic segment are provided. The multiblock copolymers are used to form proton exchange membranes that are thermally and hydrolytically stable, flexible, and that exhibit low methanol permeability and high proton conductivity. The proton exchange membranes are thus well-suited for use for use as polymer electrolytes in fuel cells. L'invention concerne de nouveaux copolymères multiblocs contenant un poly(arylène éther) perfluoré comme segment hydrophobe et un poly(arylène éther sulfone) disulfoné comme segment hydrophile. Les copolymères multiblocs sont utilisés pour former des membranes à échange de protons stables et flexibles d'un point de vue thermique et hydrolytique, et présentant une faible perméabilité au méthanol et une conductivité protonique élevée. Les membranes à échange de protons sont ainsi particulièrement adaptées pour être utilisées comme électrolytes polymériques dans les piles à combustible.