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Correlation between Morphology, Water Uptake, and Proton Conductivity in Radiation Grafted Proton Exchange Membranes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Sandor Balog ,
Urs Gasser ,
Kell Mortensen ,
Lorenz Gubler ,
Hicham Ben youcef  and
Guenther G. Scherer
Sandor Balog
Affiliation:
sandor.balog@psi.ch, ETH Zurich & Paul Scherrer Institut, Laboratory for Neutron Scattering, Villigen, Switzerland
Urs Gasser
Affiliation:
urs.gasser@psi.ch, ETH Zurich & Paul Scherrer Institut, Laboratory for Neutron Scattering, Villigen, Switzerland
Kell Mortensen
Affiliation:
kell@life.ku.dk, University of Copenhagen, Department of Natural Sciences, Copenhagen, Denmark
Lorenz Gubler
Affiliation:
lorenz.gubler@psi.ch, Paul Scherrer Institut, Electrochemistry Laboratory, Villigen, Switzerland
Hicham Ben youcef
Affiliation:
hicham.ben-youcef@psi.ch, Paul Scherrer Institut, Electrochemistry Laboratory, Villigen, Switzerland
Guenther G. Scherer
Affiliation:
guenther.scherer@psi.ch, Paul Scherrer Institut, Electrochemistry Laboratory, Villigen, Switzerland
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Abstract

A small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) investigation of saturated aqueous proton exchange membranes is presented. Our membranes were synthesized by radiation-induced grafting of poly(ethylene-alt-tetrafluoroethylene) (ETFE) with styrene in the presence of crosslinker (divinylbenzene, DVB) and the polystyrene was sulfonated subsequently. The contrast variation method was used to understand the relationship between morphology, water uptake, and proton conductivity. We find that the membranes are separated into two phases, mostly following the morphology already defined in the semi-crystalline ETFE base film. The amorphous phase hosts the water and swells upon hydration, swelling being inversely proportional to the degree of crosslinking. Proton conductivity and volumetric fraction of water are related by a power law, indicating a percolated and most likely random network of finely dispersed aqueous pores in the hydrophilic domains.

Keywords

polymerion-exchange materialneutron scattering
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1269: Symposium FF – Polymer Materials and Membranes for Energy Devices , 2010 , 1269-FF02-05
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2010

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References

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