Premium
Influences of liquid electrolyte and polyimide identity on the structure and conductivity of polyimide–poly(ethylene glycol) materials
Author(s) -
Coletta Elyse,
Toney Michael F.,
Frank Curtis W.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.41675
Subject(s) - polyimide , materials science , dielectric spectroscopy , conductivity , electrolyte , ethylene glycol , polymer , ionic conductivity , polymer chemistry , chemical engineering , differential scanning calorimetry , cyclic voltammetry , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , electrochemistry , composite material , chemistry , electrode , physics , layer (electronics) , engineering , thermodynamics
Current fuel cell technology demands improvements for widespread use, and novel polymer materials may be able to achieve the necessary enhancements. This work inspects the composition, structure, and properties of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)–aromatic polyimide systems aimed at polymer electrolyte membrane applications, as PEG is a known ion conductor and aromatic polyimides are quite stable. Liquid electrolytes were incorporated into the polymers through soaking to achieve ionic conductivity. By varying polyimide and liquid electrolyte, the polymers were analyzed for their structure and conductivity. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, small‐angle X‐ray scattering, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry were used as characterization tools. Electrolyte identity impacts liquid uptake and conductivity. Polyimide identity can influence the size and variability of the doped polymer structure, which ultimately can change conductivity by up to 28%, with the maximum conductivity being 102 mS/cm at 80°C and 70% RH. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132 , 41675.