Irradiation-induced grafting of polyacrylamide onto the sulphonated poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (SPPO) films as well as its use as catalytical layer in a bipolar membrane

The sulfonated poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (SPPO) was modified by gamma-ray irradiation-reduced grafting of polyacrylamide. The grafting reaction was proved by the elemental composition of grafted SPPO, which was determined by XPS data. The influences of both the irradiation dose and the concentration of polymerization inhibitor on grafting copolymerization rate were investigated and the effect of graft rate on water content of SPPO film was fully discussed. Bipolar membranes were prepared by using these grafted SPPO as the cation exchange layers (and thus the grafted polyacrylamide is used as interfacial layer) and their I-V curves were studied. The results showed that gamma-ray irradiation-reduced grafting copolymerization of acrylamide was one of the most efficient methods to improve the properties of a bipolar membrane. (C) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.