Synthesis and characterization of poly(ether sulfone ether ketone ketone) grafted poly(sulfopropyl methacrylate) for proton exchange membranes via atom transfer radical polymerization

A series of copolymers of poly(ether sulfone ether ketone ketone) grafted poly(sulfopropyl methacrylate) (PESEKK-g-PSPMA) were successfully synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of sulfopropyl methacrylate (SPMA) after chloromethylation of poly(ether sulfone ether ketone ketone) (PESEKK) backbone. The structure of the chloromethyl PESEKK and the copolymers were carefully investigated. Variation of the polymerization time leads to the formation of copolymers with different degree of sulfonation (DS). The properties of the proton exchange membranes such as water uptake, ion exchange capacity, proton conductivity, and methanol permeability are studied with compared to those of Nafion 117 membranes and could be modulated simply by control of the ATRP time. The copolymers exhibited much lower methanol permeability and higher proton conductivity as compared with Nafion 117.