Aryl Ether Ketone Research Articles

Strong, and recyclable thermosets cross-linked by MWCNT/poly(aryl ether ketone) containing furan based on Diels-Alder cycloaddition

Strong, and recyclable thermosets cross-linked by MWCNT/poly(aryl ether ketone) containing furan based on Diels-Alder cycloaddition

Study on the Overmolding Process of Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced Poly (Aryl Ether Ketone) (PAEK)/Poly (Ether Ether Ketone) (PEEK) Thermoplastic Composites.

This paper used poly (aryl ether ketone) (PAEK) resin with a low melting temperature to prepare laminate via the compression-molding process for continuous-carbon-fiber-reinforced composites (CCF-PAEK). Then, poly (ether ether ketone) (PEEK), or a short-carbon-fiber-reinforced poly (ether ether ketone) (SCF-PEEK) with a high melting temperature, was injected to prepare the overmolding composites. The shear strength of short beams was used to characterize the interface bonding strength of composites. The results showed that the interface properties of the composite were affected by the interface temperature, which was adjusted by mold temperature. PAEK and PEEK formed a better interfacial bonding at higher interface temperatures. The shear strength of the SCF-PEEK/CCF-PAEK short beam was 77 MPa when the mold temperature was 220 °C and 85 MPa when the mold temperature was raised to 260 °C. The melting temperature did not significantly affect the shear strength of SCF-PEEK/CCF-PAEK short beams. For the melting temperature increasing from 380 °C to 420 °C, the shear strength of the SCF-PEEK/CCF-PAEK short beam ranged from 83 MPa to 87 MPa. The microstructure and failure morphology of the composite was observed using an optical microscope. A molecular dynamics model was established to simulate the adhesion of PAEK and PEEK at different mold temperatures. The interfacial bonding energy and diffusion coefficient agreed with the experimental results.

Biobased super engineering plastic nanocomposite of cellulose nanofibers and isosorbide

Bio-super engineering plastic using biomass-derived isosorbide based poly(arylene ether ketone) (IK) is essential for sustainable development. However, synthesized IK is brittle owing to its rigid structure. To overcome this problem, cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) were used as fillers. The CNFs were dispersed in melted isosorbide and then polymerized using an in situ method to enhance the mechanical properties of the composites. The effects of the CNF filler on IK were investigated through tensile testing and by analyzing the morphology of the fracture surface, and rheology. Adding 0.05 wt% CNF increased elongation and acted as a plasticizer, while 0.1 wt% CNF increased both tensile strength and elongation, improving the tensile toughness by up to two-fold through interaction between the matrix and filler. Overall, the addition of CNFs as a filler has the potential to improve the mechanical properties of IK, thus making it suitable for various sustainable applications.

Characterization and performance test of phenolphthalein poly(aryl ether ketone) fractionated by incremental poor solvent fractionation

Though phenolphthalein poly(aryl ether ketone) (PEK-C) has gained attention as a special engineering plastic materials by virtue of its good thermal stability and favorable mechanical properties, its applications are limited due to its wide PDI during polymerization, which result in poor mechanical properties of PEK-C. In order to investigate the effect of molecular weight and polydispersity index (PDI) on PEK-C, an incremental poor solvent fractionation method was used to fractionate PEK-C. The process produced a series of grades with decreasing molecular weight and PDI. The LCP (linear cloud point) equation was combined with the grading method to find the optimal PEK-C/DMAc/ Non-solvent additives (NSA) system, which can be used to improve the grading efficiency. The obtained results showed that the incremental poor solvent fractionation method with the PEK-C/DMAc/EA system made the molecular weight distributed in the range of 25 ~ 113 kDa, PDI mostly distributed in the range of 1.1 ~ 1.4, and the narrowest PDI to reach 1.13, which could not be obtained through the condensation reaction. Meanwhile, we can also achieve expanded production. By fractionation, the elastic modulus of PEK-C film could be increased by up to 22.6%, elongation at break by up to 38.3%, the fracture strength by up to 38.2%, and impact strength of the sheest by up to 41.2%, while the polymer still maintained good thermal and UV shielding properties. This unique Polymer/Solution/NSA system can yield an effective design strategy for controlling its molecular weight and PDI and improving its mechanical performance.Graphical abstractPEK-C (NM01) was fractionated by incremental poor solvent fractionation. Due to the weak pr ecipitation strength of EA to PEK-C, a large number of grades can be obtained by expanding the classification. Through the method of adding precipitant, NM01 was fractionated into two parts with different molecular weights and PDIs. The impact strength of these grades could be improved well.

Advanced proton exchange membrane prepared from N-heterocyclic poly(aryl ether ketone)s with pendant benzenesulfonic moieties and performing enhanced radical tolerance and fuel cell properties

The application of sulfonated poly(aryl ether)s proton exchange membranes in fuel cells is hampered by the inadequate oxidation stability and the trade-off effect between proton-conducting performance and physicochemical stability. So the sulfonated N-heterocyclic poly(aryl ether ketone)s (SPBPEK-Ps) membranes possessing fine proton-conducting behavior and radical tolerance are manufactured by the elaborate design of molecular backbones. The hydrophilic units containing proton-conducting groups in pendant moieties in SPBPEK-Ps contribute to constructing developed proton-conducting channels, in which the multiple interactions between sulfonic groups and N-heterocycles further promote proton conduction with the conductivity of up to 125 mS cm−1. The fuel cells loading SPBPEK-Ps membranes perform a power density of up to 1210 mW cm−2 with hypo-sensitivity to temperature and oxidized gas. A couple of steric hindrances from pendant proton-conducting groups and the diminished affinity of radicals for molecular chains resulting from the introduction of N-heterocyclic structure enhance the oxidation stability of SPBPEK-Ps membranes, and the break time of the membranes at 80 °C ranges in 2.5–7.8 h. The combination of the pendant proton-conducting groups and N-heterocycles with the electron-withdrawing effect would contribute to improving proton-conducting performance and oxidation stability and attenuating the trade-off effect between them.

Branched Poly(arylene ether ketone sulfone)s with Ultradensely Sulfonated Branched Centers for Proton Exchange Membranes: Effect of the Positions of the Sulfonic Acid Groups

Branched sulfonated polymers present considerable potential for application as proton exchange membranes, yet investigation of branched polymers containing sulfonated branched centers remains to be advanced. Herein, we report a series of polymers with ultradensely sulfonated branched centers, namely, B-x-SPAEKS, where x represents the degree of branching. In comparison with the analogous polymers bearing sulfonated branched arms, B-x-SPAEKS showed a reduced water affinity, resulting in less swelling and lower proton conductivity. The water uptake, swelling ratio (in-plane), and proton conductivity of B-10-SPAEKS at 80 °C were 52.2%, 57.7%, and 23.6% lower than their counterparts, respectively. However, further analysis revealed that B-x-SPAEKS featured significantly better proton conduction under the same water content due to the formation of larger hydrophilic clusters (∼10 nm) that promoted efficient proton transportation. B-12.5-SPAEKS exhibited a proton conductivity of 138.8 mS cm-1 and a swelling ratio (in-plane) of only 11.6% at 80 °C, both of which were superior to Nafion 117. In addition, a decent single-cell performance of B-12.5-SPAEKS was also achieved. Consequently, the decoration of sulfonic acid groups on the branched centers represents a very promising strategy, enabling outstanding proton conductivity and dimensional stability simultaneously even with low water content.

Synthesis of Amorphous Poly (aryl ether ketone) Resin and its Anti‐Irradiation Properties under Gamma Ray

AbstractThe stability of polymer materials used in nuclear environment directly determines the life and reliability of nuclear power equipment. Poly (aryl ether ketone) (PAEK) itself exhibits excellent irradiation resistance which can be widely used. The emphasis of this study lies in designing and synthesizing three different structures of amorphous PAEKs by the solution SN2 nucleophilic polycondensation. The thermodynamic properties and structural changes of the materials under gamma‐ ray (γ‐ray) irradiation were investigated and the irradiation‐resistance mechanism was discussed. The present results illustrate that the performance can be basically stable lower than 108 Gy. Up to 1013 Gy dose, γ‐ray has little effect on the impact resistance and Young ′s modulus of the three materials, the tensile strength and elongation at break decreased with the increase of irradiation dose. No new structures were formed after irradiation, and all the three materials decomposed slightly caused by oxidized.

Effect of printing parameters on tensile, thermal and structural properties of 3D‐printed poly (ether ketone ketone) PEKK material using fused deposition modeling

AbstractPoly(ether ketone ketone) (PEKK) is a thermoplastic of the poly(aryl ether ketone) (PAEK) family, with excellent mechanical and thermal performances and high chemical resistance properties. This makes it an appealing material in high‐performance applications as a replacement for poly (ether ether ketone) (PEEK). PEKK was thus selected in this study as a base material for application in 3D printing. The effects of nozzle temperature, layer orientation and layer thickness on the final properties of 3D‐printed PEKK parts were investigated. Furthermore, we assessed the mechanical and morphological features of printed samples through tensile tests and scanning electron microscope, respectively. Thermal properties of samples were also evaluated through DSC and DMA analysis. Optimum printing parameters were found at 0.15 mm layer thickness, 380°C nozzle temperature, and [45/−45°] layer orientation. The printed PEKK samples were annealed at various temperatures to allow the relaxation of residual stress and enhance the degree of crystallinity. Samples annealed for 1 h at 240°C have shown an improved elastic modulus by ~14%, tensile strength by 17%, and glass transition temperature by 17.2°C from the increased by 24% degree of crystallinity.

Preparation and performance of soluble N-heterocyclic poly(aryl ether ketone)s with enhanced thermal resistance

The novel poly(aryl ether ketone)s embodying bis-phthalazinone units (PBPEK-Ps) with enhanced solubility and thermal resistance are incorporated by one-pot condensation polymerization. The impacts of solvents on the copolymerization behavior of PBPEK-Ps have been evaluated. The structure characteristics of polymers are identified through infrared absorption spectrum and nuclear magnetic resonance spectra. PBPEK-Ps exhibit favorable thermo-stability and possess glass transition temperatures ranging from 256 to 305 °C. Simultaneously, PBPEK-Ps perform storage modulus above 3.46 GPa with the storage modulus preservation at 250 °C up to 58% and the tensile strength over 111 MPa, exhibiting excellent thermo-resistance and mechanical properties. Moreover, the rigid twisted units and pendant phenyl groups endow PBPEK-Ps with excellent solubility in chloroform and N-methylpyrrolidone, and a controllable contact angle in the range of 79.5° – 91.0°. And PBPEK-Ps possess favorable insulation performance.

Design and synthesis of novel poly (aryl ether ketones) containing trifluoromethyl and trifluoromethoxy groups

ABSTRACTThe high-frequency and high-speed communication in the 5 G era puts forward requirements for the dielectric properties of polymers. Introducing fluorine into poly(ary ether ketone) can improve its dielectric properties. In this work, by introducing the fluorine group strategy, we successfully designed and synthesized three novel trifluoromethyl (−CF3) or trifluoromethoxy (−OCF3)-containing bisphenol monomers and their F-substitution PEK-based polymers (PEK-Ins). All these PEK-Ins exhibited good thermal, mechanical and dielectric properties. The T d5% of the three polymers is all higher than 520℃. The free volume fraction of novel polymers increased from 3.75% to 5.72%. Among the three polymers, exhibited the lowest dielectric constant of the films is 2.839, and the dielectric loss is 0.0048, ascribing to the increasing free volume. The Young’s modulus of the polymer film is as high as 2.9 GPa and the tensile strength is as high as 84 MPa. PEK-Ins reduced the dielectric constant by introducing a low fluorine content. This study provides a new way to design PEK to synthesize low dielectric constant polymers.

Construction of alkali-stable anion exchange membranes with hydrophilic/hydrophobic microphase separation structure by adjusting side chain length

A series of side-chains anion exchange membranes were assembled by poly (arylene ether ketone) with amino groups (Am-PAEK) which was grafted different length of side chains by Friedel-Crafts acylation and then imidazole cationic groups were introduced by bromination reaction. The side-chain membranes exhibited excellent mechanical properties, thermal stability and alkali stability. In addition, swelling ratios of side chain membranes were lower than 10% even at 100 °C. And the alkali stability of Im-AP-6 (where Am-PAEK was grafted with 6-bromohexanoyl chloride and then grafted with 1,2-dimethylimidazole.) was higher than 87% after immersing in 1 M NaOH for 168 h at 60 °C. Hydroxide conductivities of the membranes were in the range of 43.5 ∼ 49.8 mS cm−1 at 30 °C and 87.3 ∼ 126.6 mS cm−1 at 80 °C. The open circuit voltage (OCV) and peak power density of Im-AP-6 were 1.13 V and 389.71 mW cm−2 (80 °C, 100% RH), respectively. The results showed side-chain membranes have good comprehensive properties and substantially possible as AEMs.

Diviologen-Functionalized Poly(arylene ether ketone)s with Improved Stability and Rate Performance for Polymer Batteries

Polymer batteries have attracted increasing attention because of their advantages of good flexibility, high compatibility with organic electrolytes, and high environmental friendliness. However, the low utilization rate of the redox-active units buried in polymeric network and the slow kinetics of the electrochemical reactions hinder their development. Herein, mono- and diviologen functionalities are attached to a tetramethylbiphenol-derived poly(arylene ether ketone) (TPAEK) by postmodification to yield two redox-active polymers MV-TPAEK and 2MV-TPAEK, respectively, and polymer electrodes are prepared by mixing them with N-doped carbon nanotubes without binders. When paired with the Li counter electrode, the MV-TPAEK and 2MV-TPAEK electrodes deliver specific discharge capacities of 93.3 and 95.4 mA h g–1, respectively, at a current rate of 0.1 C and maintain 36.1 and 42.3 mA h g–1, respectively, after 100 galvanostatic cycles. When the current rate is increased to 10 C, the specific discharge capacities are lowered to 13.9 and 25.8 mA h g–1, respectively, for the MV-TPAEK and 2MV-TPAEK electrodes due to the increased electrochemical polarizations. All of these results prove that the 2MV-TPAEK electrode is better than the MV-TPAEK electrode. When the counter electrode is changed to Na, the trend remains the same. Given the fact that the two polymers have an identical backbone, the improved electrochemical performance of 2MV-TPAEK may be ascribed to the larger mobility of the extended 2MV pendant, which is beneficial for the formation of more molecular voids and stacked intermediate structures for better charge transfer. This study paves the way for the molecular design of redox-active polymers for high-performance polymer batteries.

Multi-Block Copolymer Membranes Consisting of Sulfonated Poly(p-phenylene) and Naphthalene Containing Poly(arylene Ether Ketone) for Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis

Glassy hydrocarbon-based membranes are being researched as a replacement for perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) membranes in proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE). Here, naphthalene containing Poly(arylene Ether Ketone) was introduced into the Poly(p-phenylene)-based multi-block copolymers through Ni(0)-catalyzed coupling reaction to enhance π-π interactions of the naphthalene units. It is discovered that there is an optimum input ratio of the hydrophilic monomer and NBP oligomer for the multi-block copolymers with high ion exchange capacity (IEC) and polymerization yield. With the optimum input ratio, the naphthalene containing copolymer exhibits good hydrogen gas barrier property, chemical stability, and mechanical toughness, even with its high IEC value over 2.4 meq g-1. The membrane shows 3.6 times higher proton selectivity to hydrogen gas than Nafion 212. The PEMWE single cells using the membrane performed better (5.5 A cm-2) than Nafion 212 (4.75 A cm-2) at 1.9 V and 80 °C. These findings suggest that naphthalene containing copolymer membranes are a promising replacement for PFSA membranes in PEMWE.

ПОЛИАРИЛЕНЭФИРКЕТОНЫ В КАЧЕСТВЕ ПРОВОДНИКА В ТОКОСЪЕМНОЙ СИСТЕМЕ СОЛНЕЧНОГО ЭЛЕМЕНТА

The paper investigates the thermomechanical and electrical properties of a number of thermoplastic copolymers poly(arylene ether ketones) (co-PAEK) containing fluorene groups in the main chain of the macromolecule. Co-PAEKs are being studied for the purpose of their use in the contact system of a solar cell with a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) electrode and a multiwire contact grid. Polymer films are used as conductive adhesives to form an electrical contact between metal wire and TCO. The formation of an electrically conductive contact occurs during lamination at an excess pressure of 1 atm and a temperature of maximum deformation of co-PAEK, while the copolymer switches from the initial dielectric to a stable highly conductive state. Co-PAEKs with the content of fluorene groups ( q ) 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 mol.% are synthesized, having the same molecular weight and the reduced viscosity of ~0.38 dl/g. To select the optimal contact system formation temperature for each coPAEK, the glass transition temperature ( T g) and the peak strain temperature ( T d) were determined from thermo mechanical curves. It was found that with increasing q , the temperature T g increases from 162 to 185°С, and T d from 203 to 223°С. The specific contact resistances (ρС) in the metal wire/co-PAEK/TCO (ITO - In2O3:Sn) system were determined for a round copper wire coated with indium:tin (In:Sn) solder, as well as for tin-plated wire, depending on the content of fluorene groups in the copolymer. The specific contact resistance ρС for wire with (In:Sn) solder varies in the range of 0.56-0.83 mΩ cm2, for tin-plated wire - 0.84-1.43 mΩ cm2, and co-PAEK with q = 5 mol % showed the lowest ρС in both cases. The ρC of wire/co-PAEK/ITO contacts has been studied as a function of the resistivity of ITO grown by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis on silicon substrates. The temperature dependence of the resistivity of the wire/co-PAEK/ITO contact was studied in the temperature range of 5-85°C, and a conclusion was made about the metallic type of dependence. According to the results of microscopic studies of the contact area, the typical minimum co-PAEK layer thickness between the wire and ITO after the formation of the contact was determined, which is in the range of 0.5-2.4 μm.

Achieving high proton conductivity for fuel cells based on chemically grafted poly(arylene ether ketone sulfone) and metal–organic frameworks

The sulfonated poly(arylene ether ketone sulfone) containing –NH2 groups (Am-SPAEKS) and UiO-66-NH2 were respectively used as organic matrix and fillers. Am-S-U hybrid membranes were prepared by chemically anchoring UiO-66-NH2 onto the polymer main chain of Am-SPAEKS by Hinsberg reaction. The UiO-66-NH2 and Am-S-U hybrid membranes were characterized by 1H NMR, FT-IR, PXRD and SEM. The proton conductivities of Am-S-U hybrid membranes (0.072 ∼ 0.088 S cm−1 at 30 °C and 0.125 ∼ 0.168 S cm−1 at 80 °C) were much higher than Am-SPAEKS (0.058 S cm−1 at 30 °C and 0.090 S cm−1 at 80 °C). The membranes showed good dimensional stability (swelling ratios < 9.49% at 100 °C). Moreover, Am-S-U-6% hybrid membrane showed relatively high peak power density (290.97 mW cm−2). The results display that Am-S-U hybrid membranes have potential as proton exchange membranes.

Synthesis of Sulfonated Polyphenylene Block Copolymers via In Situ Generation of Ni(0)

Proton exchange membranes (PEMs) fabricated from sulfonated polyphenylenes (sPP) exhibit superior proton conductivity and electrochemical performance. However, the Ni(0) catalyst required for Colon's cross-coupling reaction for the synthesis of sPP block copolymers is expensive. Therefore, in this study, we generated Ni(0) in situ from an inexpensive Ni(II) salt in the presence of the reducing metal Zn and NaI. The sPP block copolymers were synthesized from neopentyl-protected 3,5- and 2,5-dichlorobenzenesulfonates and oligo(arylene ether ketone) using the catalyst NiBr2(PPh3)2. The block copolymers synthesized using our strategy and the Ni(0) catalyst exhibited comparable polydispersity index values and high molecular weights. Thin, transparent, and bendable PEMs fabricated using selected high-molecular-weight sPP block copolymers synthesized via our strategy exhibited similar proton conductivities to those of the block copolymers synthesized using the Ni(0) catalyst. We believe that our strategy will promote the synthesis of similar multifunctional block copolymers.

Non-Coplanar Diphenyl Fluorene and Weakly Polarized Cyclohexyl Can Effectively Improve the Solubility and Reduce the Dielectric Constant of Poly (Aryl Ether Ketone) Resin

With the rapid development of high-frequency communication and large-scale integrated circuits, insulating dielectric materials require a low dielectric constant and dielectric loss. Poly (aryl ether ketone) resins (PAEK) have garnered considerable attention as an intriguing class of engineering thermoplastics possessing excellent chemical and thermal properties. However, the high permittivity of PAEK becomes an obstacle to its application in the field of high-frequency communication and large-scale integrated circuits. Therefore, reducing the dielectric constant and dielectric loss of PAEK while maintaining its excellent performance is critical to expanding the PAEK applications mentioned above. This study synthesized a series of poly (aryl ether ketone) resins that are low dielectric, highly thermally resistant, and soluble, containing cyclohexyl and diphenyl fluorene. The effects of cyclohexyl contents on the properties of a PAEK resin were studied systematically. The results showed that weakly-polarized cyclohexyl could reduce the molecular polarization of PAEK, resulting in low permittivity and high transmittance. The permittivity of PAEK is 2.95-3.26@10GHz, and the transmittance is 65-85%. In addition, the resin has excellent solubility and can be dissolved in NMP, DMF, DMAc, and other solvents at room temperature. Furthermore, cyclohexyl provided PAEK with excellent thermal properties, including a glass transition temperature of 239-245 °C and a 5% thermogravimetric temperature, under a nitrogen atmosphere of 469-534 °C. This makes it a promising candidate for use in high-frequency communications and large-scale integrated circuits.

Non-Conjugated Copoly(Arylene Ether Ketone) for the Current-Collecting System of a Solar Cell with Indium Tin Oxide Electrode

The mechanism of charge carrier transport in the indium tin oxide (ITO)/polymer/Cu structure is studied, where thin films of copoly(arylene ether ketone) with cardo fluorene moieties are used. This copoly(arylene ether ketone) is non-conjugated polymer which has the properties of electronic switching from the insulating to the highly conductive state. The dependence on the polymer film thickness of such parameters as the potential barrier at the ITO/polymer interface, the concentration of charge carriers, and their mobility in the polymer is studied for the first time. The study of this system is of interest due to the proven potential of using the synthesized polymer in the contact system of a silicon solar cell with an ITO top layer. The parameters of charge carriers and ITO/polymer barrier are evaluated based on the analysis of current-voltage characteristics of ITO/polymer/Cu structure within the injection current models and the Schottky model. The thickness of the polymer layer varies from 50 nm to 2.1 µm. The concentration of intrinsic charge carriers increases when decreasing the polymer film thickness. The charge carrier mobility depends irregularly on the thickness, showing a maximum of 9.3 × 10-4 cm2/V s at 210 nm and a minimum of 4.7 × 10-11 cm2/V s at 50 nm. The conductivity of polymer films first increases with a decrease in thickness from 2.1 µm to 210 nm, but then begins to decrease upon transition to the globular structure of the films at smaller thicknesses. The dependence of the barrier height on polymer thickness has a minimum of 0.28 eV for films 100-210 nm thick. The influence of the supramolecular structure and surface charge field of thin polymer films on the transport of charge carriers is discussed.

The effect of cooling rates on crystallization and low-velocity impact behaviour of carbon fibre reinforced poly(aryl ether ketone) composites

Crystallization of poly(aryl ether ketone) (PAEK) plays an important role in the impact resistance of composite laminates but it is still unclear how the cooling rate affects the performance. In this paper, carbon fibre (CF) reinforced new copolymer PAEK and commonly used poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) were fabricated by furnace cooling and water cooling. The effects of cooling rates on the crystallization behaviour of thermoplastics, interfacial bonding strength, interlaminar fracture toughness and low-velocity impact performance of composites were studied. Results show that the crystallization and the crystalline size of PAEK are smaller than those of PEEK at the same cooling rate. In composites, the lower crystallinity and smaller crystals of the matrix are conducive to improving the matrix ductility and interfacial bonding strength. Under the water-cooling condition, the impact damage area CF/PAEK is about 71% lower than that of CF/PEEK, while the CAI is about 14% higher.

Sulfonated branched poly(arylene ether ketone sulfone) proton exchange membranes: Effects of degree of branching and ion exchange capacity

Sulfonated branched polymers exhibit substantial potential for application as proton exchange membranes (PEMs). Most studies develop branched polymer PEMs by regulating the degree of branching (DB), without considering another important factor, i.e., the ion exchange capacity (IEC). Herein, we report on a systematical comparison regarding the effects of DB and IEC on the branched polymer PEMs and a solution to advance the properties of PEMs. To accomplish this, two series of branched poly(arylene ether ketone sulfone)s containing densely sulfonated tetraarylmethane units were synthesized. The DB and IEC were controlled in the range of 5–10 % and 1.41–1.94 meq g−1, respectively. It was found that both increasing DB and IEC of membranes promoted water absorption, proton conductivity, single-cell performance, denser distribution of microscopic hydrophilic phase, and also reduced the mechanical property. Furthermore, the strengthening via increased DB maintained dimensional stability and improved oxidative stability, while the impact of IEC was the opposite. Ultimately, a polymer membrane bearing optimal DB (7.5 %) and IEC (1.94 meq g−1) exhibited the highest proton conductivity (134.5 mS cm−1) and maximum power density (426.8 mW cm−2), satisfactory dimensional change (18.8 % in-plane, 27.2 % through-plane, and 79.5 % volume) at 80 ℃, and sufficient thermal, oxidative, and mechanical stability. This work is expected to serve as a guide for designing and synthesizing the DB and IEC of sulfonated branched polymer PEMs.