Novel sulfonated poly(arylene ether ketone) copolymers bearing carboxylic or benzimidazole pendant groups for proton exchange membranes

Abstract

A novel strategy in which the benzimidazole group and sulfonic group are simultaneously attached to an aromatic polymer has been reported in this paper. For this purpose, sulfonated poly(arylene ether ketone) copolymers containing carboxylic acid groups (SPAEK-x-COOH, x refers to the molar percentage of sulfonated repeating units) are prepared by the aromatic nucleophilic polycondensation of sodium 5,5′-carbonyl-bis(2-fluobenzene-sulfonate) (SDFBP), 4,4′-difluorobenzophenone (DFBP) and phenolphthalin (PPL). Then the carboxylic acid groups attached to the SPAEK-x-COOH are transformed to benzimidazole units through condensation reactions (referred to as SPAEK-x-BI). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and 1H NMR measurements are used to characterize and confirm the structures of these copolymers. SPAEK-x-COOH membranes exhibit superior mechanical properties with maximum elongations at break up to 133%, meanwhile SPAEK-x-BI also shows good thermal and mechanical stability. The proton conductivity, swelling ratio and methanol permeability of the polymers with benzimidazole are lower than those with carboxylic groups, which indicated that there is an acid–base complex between benzimidazole and sulfonic acid groups. A balance of proton conductivity, methanol permeability, thermal and mechanical stabilities can be designed by incorporation of functional groups to meet the requirements for the applications in direct methanol fuel cells.