Abstract

Sulfonation reaction of fluorine-containing poly(arylene ether nitrile) derived from 4-phenoxy-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorobenzonitrile (PTFB) and 2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoropropane (6FBA) by concentrated sulfuric acid at 30°C yielded quantitative introduction of one sulfonic group into phenoxy ring in the polymer at para-position with 68 mol% and at meta-position with 32 mol% due to the influence of fluorines at the ortho-positions of adjacent benzene ring. Membrane properties of the resulting polymer, thermal stability, proton conductivity and water uptake, were investigated for the application in fuel cells. While the membrane derived from the polymer showed similar level of proton conductivity at humidified condition to NAFION®112, its dimensional stability based on water uptake was lower than that of NAFION®112.

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