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Correlation between morphology, water uptake, and proton conductivity in radiation-grafted proton-exchange membranes

  • Balog, Sandor Laboratory for Neutron Scattering, ETH Zurich & Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen, Switzerland
  • Gasser, Urs Laboratory for Neutron Scattering, ETH Zurich & Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen, Switzerland - Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Switzerland
  • Mortensen, Kell Department of Natural Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark
  • Gubler, Lorenz Electrochemistry Laboratory, Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen, Switzerland
  • Scherer, Guenther G. Electrochemistry Laboratory, Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen, Switzerland
  • Ben Youcef, Hicham Electrochemistry Laboratory, Paul Scherrer Institut, Villigen, Switzerland
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    07.01.2010
Published in:
  • Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics. - 2010, vol. 211, no. 6, p. 635-643
graft copolymers
percolation
polyelectrolytes
proton exchange membranes
small-angle neutron scattering
English An SANS investigation of hydrated proton exchange membranes is presented. Our membranes were synthesized by radiation-induced grafting of ETFE with styrene in the presence of a crosslinker, followed by sulfonation of the styrene. The contrast variation method was used to understand the relationship between morphology, water uptake, and proton conductivity. The membranes are separated into two phases. The amorphous phase hosts the water and swells upon hydration, swelling being inversely proportional to the degree of crosslinking. Hydration and proton conductivity exhibit linear dependence on swelling. Proton conductivity and volumetric fraction of water are related by a power law, indicating a percolated network of finely dispersed aqueous pores in the hydrophilic domains.
Faculty
Faculté des sciences et de médecine
Department
AMI - Soft Nanoscience
Language
  • English
Classification
Physics
License
License undefined
Identifiers
Persistent URL
https://folia.unifr.ch/unifr/documents/301531
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