Abstract
In the present work, a series of poly(phenylene oxide) (PPO) based uncross-linked and cross-linked anion exchange membranes (AEMs) with bis-imidazolium cations were synthesized and characterized. Compared with cross-linked AEMs, uncross-linked membranes with similar ion exchange capacities showed a much higher water uptake and swelling degree. Cross-linked membranes showed vastly improved alkaline stability, oxidation stability and mechanical properties compared with uncross-linked membranes due to the effective cross-linked structure, and a well-developed hydrophilic/hydrophobic phase separated morphology was observed for cross-linked membranes by atomic force microscopy (AFM). A single cell with a cross-linked membrane (Cross-Im-PPO-75) showed a maximum power density of 212.45 mW cm-2. Considering the enhanced alkaline stability and mechanical properties, the cross-linked PPO membranes with bis-imidazolium cations are promising AEM materials for alkaline exchange membrane fuel cells.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 13275-13283 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Journal of Materials Chemistry A |
Volume | 7 |
Issue number | 21 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 7 Jun 2019 |
Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Chemistry
- Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
- General Materials Science