Abstract
Owing to the recent push toward efficient energy storage/conversion devices, fuel cells have become a strong candidate for energy conversion equipments. On the other hand, block copolymer polyelectrolytes are interesting materials for proton exchange membranes in fuel cells. Thus a considerable attention has been paid to the development of block copolymer polyelectrolyte membranes. In this study, the microdomains in block copolymer polyelectrolytes were controlled by external electric fields to develop high performance membranes with improved proton conductivity. The microdomain alignments in sulfonated polystyrene-b-hydrogenated poly butadiene-b-polystyrene block copolymer electrolyte were monitored by cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy analysis. The proton conductivities of the block copolymer electrolyte membranes were measured before and after exposure to electric field. In addition, the morphological features of the block copolymer electrolyte were observed with small angle x-ray scattering and atomic force microscopy.
Highlights
Energy storage/conversion devices are attracting a considerable amount of interest from all fields of science and technology
AsSEBS membrane was sandwiched between two stainless electrodes and an ac perturbation of 1 V was applied to the cell
To prepare cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) specimens, a thin layer of carbon was evaporated onto the film surface before embedding in epoxy resin to prevent the diffusion of the epoxy resin into hybrid thin film
Summary
Energy storage/conversion devices are attracting a considerable amount of interest from all fields of science and technology These equipments include batteries, capacitors, fuel cells, and solar cells. (2014) Control of Microdomain Orientation in Block Copolymer Thin Films by Electric Field for Proton Exchange Membrane. It is very important to understand transport properties such as proton conductivity and methanol permeability through BCPE membranes when the size, shape, and ordering directions of microdomains in the membranes are different [19] [24]. Even if the chemical and physical properties of sulfonated SEBS BCPEs have been extensively investigated, the effect of microdomain alignments in SEBS BCPEs on the proton conductivity of PCMs has been scarcely investigated yet [40]. The microdomain orientations in sulfonated SEBS BCPEs were controlled by external electric fields.
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