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Radiation‐grafted solid polymer electrolyte membrane: thermal and mechanical properties of sulfonated fluorinated ethylene propylene copolymer (FEP)‐graft‐acrylic acid membranes
Author(s) -
Patri M.,
Hande V. R.,
Phadnis S.,
Deb P. C.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
polymers for advanced technologies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.61
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1099-1581
pISSN - 1042-7147
DOI - 10.1002/pat.512
Subject(s) - materials science , membrane , crystallinity , differential scanning calorimetry , glass transition , copolymer , grafting , thermogravimetric analysis , polymer chemistry , acrylic acid , ethylene propylene rubber , ultimate tensile strength , polymer , chemical engineering , electrolyte , ethylene , composite material , organic chemistry , chemistry , catalysis , biochemistry , physics , engineering , thermodynamics , electrode
Acrylic acid was grafted onto fluorinated ethylene propylene copolymer (FEP) using a simultaneous radiation technique and the resulting membranes were subsequently sulfonated. Thermal and mechanical properties of these membranes were investigated and were found to be strongly influenced by the degree of grafting. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of these membranes showed that these membranes undergo multistep degradation unlike virgin FEP which degrades in a single step. Glass transition temperature and degree of crystallinity were determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Glass transition temperature increased while crystallinity decreased with increase in degree of grafting. Tensile strength and elongation at break were found to decrease on grafting and further on sulfonation. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.