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Proton Mobility in Sulfonated PolyEtherEtherKetone (SPEEK): Influence of Thermal Crosslinking and Annealing
Author(s) -
Knauth P.,
Pasquini L.,
Maranesi B.,
Pelzer K.,
Polini R.,
Di Vona M. L.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
fuel cells
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.485
H-Index - 69
eISSN - 1615-6854
pISSN - 1615-6846
DOI - 10.1002/fuce.201200120
Subject(s) - annealing (glass) , materials science , activation energy , proton , porosity , tortuosity , conductivity , polymer , kinetics , percolation threshold , proton transport , membrane , chemical engineering , polymer chemistry , electrical resistivity and conductivity , composite material , chemistry , biochemistry , physics , engineering , quantum mechanics , electrical engineering
Sulfonated PolyEtherEtherKetone (SPEEK) was thermally treated at 180 and 140 °C to study the effects of polymer cross‐linking and annealing on the water uptake and proton conductivity. The kinetics of the cross‐linking reaction can be quantitatively described with an activation energy of (100 ± 2) kJ mol –1 . The proton mobility u(H + ) depends on the proton concentration c(H + ) in excellent agreement with the power law u(H + ) ∝ c(H + ) –3 observed above the percolation threshold of hydrated nanometric channels. The proton mobility can be described by porosity and tortuosity as phenomenological parameters. Polymer annealing reduces the free volume and porosity of membranes. The proton conductivity can be modulated by changing the hydration number.