Find in Library
Search millions of books, articles, and more
Indexed Open Access Databases
Characterization and Modeling of Free Volume and Ionic Conduction in Multiblock Copolymer Proton Exchange Membranes
oleh: Mahmoud Mohammed Gomaa, Arturo Sánchez-Ramos, Nieves Ureña, María Teresa Pérez-Prior, Belen Levenfeld, Pablo A. García-Salaberri, Mohamed Rabeh Mohamed Elsharkawy
Format: | Article |
---|---|
Diterbitkan: | MDPI AG 2022-04-01 |
Deskripsi
Free volume plays a key role on transport in proton exchange membranes (PEMs), including ionic conduction, species permeation, and diffusion. Positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy are used to characterize the pore size distribution and ionic conductivity of synthesized PEMs from polysulfone/polyphenylsulfone multiblock copolymers with different degrees of sulfonation (SPES). The experimental data are combined with a bundle-of-tubes model at the cluster-network scale to examine water uptake and proton conduction. The results show that the free pore size changes little with temperature in agreement with the good thermo-mechanical properties of SPES. However, the free volume is significantly lower than that of Nafion<sup>®</sup>, leading to lower ionic conductivity. This is explained by the reduction of the bulk space available for proton transfer where the activation free energy is lower, as well as an increase in the tortuosity of the ionic network.