Poly(olefin)-Based Anion Exchange Membranes Prepared Using Ziegler–Natta Polymerization

• DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.8b02756
• Publication Date: 2019-05-29T14:34:04Z
• Authors: Liang Zhu; Xuedi Yu; Xiong Peng; Tawanda J. Zimudzi; Nayan Saikia; Michael T. Kwasny; Shaofei Song; Douglas I. Kushner; Zhisheng Fu; Gregory N. Tew; William E. Mustain; Michael A. Yandra...; Michael A. Hickner
• Keywords: Ammonium hydroxide; Side chain

Bromoalkyl-functionalized poly(olefin)s were synthesized by copolymerization of 4-(4-methylphenyl)-1-butene with 11-bromo-1-undecene using Ziegler–Natta polymerization. The resulting bromoalkyl-functionalized converted to quaternary ammonium-containing anion-conductive copolymers reacting the pendant bromoalkyl group trimethylamine or a custom-synthesized tertiary amine containing ammonium moieties. Poly(olefin)-based AEMs three cations per side chain showed considerably higher hydroxide conductivities, up 201 mS/cm at 80 °C in liquid water, compared that samples only one cation site (68 mS/cm, °C, water), likely due phase separation triple-cation structure. More importantly, side-chain poly(olefin) exhibited conductivity under relative humidity conditions (50%–100%) than typical based on benzyltrimethylammonium cations. poly(olefin)-based AEM an ionic as high 115 95% RH and 11 50% °C. In addition conductivity, good chemical dimensional stability. High retention (>85%) was observed for 1 M NaOH over 1000 h. Based these high-performance AEMs, fuel cell peak power density 0.94 W cm–2 (1.28 after iR correction) achieved H2/O2 70 results this study suggest new, low-cost, scalable route preparation anion exchange membrane applications.