Open AccessCrosslinked anion exchange membranes with connected cations
Author(s) -
Zhang Wenxu,
Liu Ye,
Liu Xiaohui,
Horan James L.,
Jin Ying,
Ren Xiaoming,
Ertem S. Piril,
Seifert Soenke,
Liberatore Matthew W.,
Herring Andrew M.,
Coughlin Edward Bryan
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of polymer science part a: polymer chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.768
H-Index - 152
eISSN - 1099-0518
pISSN - 0887-624X
DOI - 10.1002/pola.28935
Subject(s) - polyelectrolyte , membrane , self healing hydrogels , ionic bonding , chemistry , chemical engineering , ion transporter , ion , monomer , polymer , cationic polymerization , solvation , ion exchange , copolymer , polymer chemistry , ionic conductivity , materials science , nanotechnology , electrolyte , organic chemistry , electrode , biochemistry , engineering
The selective transport of ions has crucial importance in biological systems as well as modern‐day energy devices, such as batteries and fuel cells, and water purification membranes. Control over ion movement can be exerted by ligation, ion channel dimensions, solvation, and electrostatic interactions. Polyelectrolyte hydrogels can provide aligned pathways for counter ion transport but lack mechanical integrity, while polyelectrolyte membranes typically suffer from the absence of an ion transport channel network. To develop polymer membranes for improved ion transport, we present the design of a novel material that combines the advantages of aligned pathways found in polyelectrolyte hydrogel and mechanical robustness in conventional membranes. The ionic species were organized via controlled copolymerization of a quaternizable monomer. Additionally, dimensional stability was then incorporated through a cast/crosslinking method to lock in the network of connected cationic groups. This strategy resulted in dramatically enhanced ion transport, as characterized by ionic conductivities (>80 mS/cm for Cl – , and ∼200 mS/cm for OH – ). © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2018 , 56 , 618–625