Anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs) have attracted a growing interest as an alternative for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). AEMs are the most important components of AEMFCs, and it’s a great challenge to attain high ion conductivity, good dimensional, mechanical and alkaline stabilities for AEMs. We prepared poly(ether sulfone ketone)s having various hydrophilic-hydrophobic block ratios, and investigated the effect of the block composition on the chemo-physical properties of the corresponding membranes. The experimental procedures and the properties, including conductivity, morphology and stability will be discussed in detail.

Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) are considered as prospective energy conversion systems because of high efficiency and environmental advantage. However, the current PEMFC technology uses commercialized perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) polymers as a proton exchange membrane, which has the issues of high production cost, poor recyclability at intermediate temperature. In this study, We have synthesized a non-fluorinated hydrocarbon membrane. Also, non-fluorinated membrane has a symmetric chemical structure and sulfonated block copolymer was prepared and characterized using 1H-NMR, and the proton conductivity, ion exchange capacity (IEC), and water uptake. properties were evaluated. The synthesis, characteristic and fuel cell performance and newly prepared membrane will be discussed.

Branched sulfonated poly(ether sulfone-ketone) copolymer was prepared with bisphenol A, 4,4-difluorobenzophenone, sulfonated chlorophenyl sulfone (40mole% of bisphenol A) and THPE (1,1,1-tris-p-hydroxyphenylethane). THPE was used 0.4 mol% of bisphenol A to synthesize branched copolymers. Organic-inorganic nano composite membranes were prepared with copolymer and a series of nanoparticles (20 nm, 4, 7 and 10 wt%). The composite membranes were cast from dimethylsulfoxide solutions. The films were converted from the salt to acid forms with dilute hydrochloric acid. The membranes were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Sorption experiments were conducted to observe the interaction of sulfonated polymers with water and methanol. Branched copolymer and nano composite membranes exhibit proton conductivities from to , water uptake from 52.9 to 62.4%, IEC from 0.81 to 1.21 meq/g and methanol diffusion coefficients from to .

Novel bisphenol-based wholly aromatic poly(ether sulfone-ketone) copolymer containing pendant sulfonate groups were prepared by direct aromatic nucleophilic substitution polycondensation of 4,4-difluorobenzophenone, 2,2'-disodiumsulfonyl-4,4'-fluorophenylsulfone (40mole% of bisphenol A) and bisphenol A. Polymerization proceeded quantitatively to high molecular weight in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone at . Organic-inorganic composite membranes were obtained by mixing organic polymers with hydrophilic (ca. 20nm) obtained by sol-gel process. The polymer and a series of composite membranes were studied by FT-IR, , differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermal stability. The proton conductivity as a function of temperature decreased as content increased, but methanol permeability decreased. The nano composite membranes were found to posse all requisite properties; Ion exchange capacity (1.2meq./g), glass transition temperatures , and low affinity towards methanol .