Abstract
Anion exchange membranes (AEMs) are a promising class of materials that enable non-noble metals to be used as catalysts in fuel cells. Compared to their acidic counterparts, typically Nafion and other perfluorosulfonate-based membranes, the low OH– conductivity in AEMs remains a concern as these materials are developed for practical applications. Cross-linked macromolecular structures are a popular way to optimize the trade-off between the ionic conductivity and the water swelling of AEMs with high ion exchange capacities (IECs). However, common cross-linked AEMs (e.g., x(QH)QPPO) that have high degrees of cross-linking with low molecular weight between cross-links are usually mechanically brittle. Moreover, the cross-links in AEMs can hinder the transport of OH–, leading to unsatisfactory conductivities. Here we report a series of elastic and highly conductive poly(2,6-dimethylphenylene oxide) (PPO)-based AEMs (x(QH)3QPPO) containing flexible, long-chain, multication cross-links. The strength and flexibi...
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