Journal
MACROMOLECULAR CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS
Volume 211, Issue 6, Pages 635-643Publisher
WILEY-V C H VERLAG GMBH
DOI: 10.1002/macp.200900503
Keywords
graft copolymers; percolation; polyelectrolytes; proton exchange membranes; small-angle neutron scattering
Categories
Funding
- Danish Science Council for Natural Sciences
- Adolphe Merkle Foundation
Ask authors/readers for more resources
An SANS investigation of hydrated proton exchange membranes is presented. Our membranes were synthesized by radiation-induced grafting of ETFE with styrene in the presence of a crosslinker, followed by sulfonation of the styrene. The contrast variation method was used to understand the relationship between morphology, water uptake, and proton conductivity. The membranes are separated into two phases. The amorphous phase hosts the water and swells upon hydration, swelling being inversely proportional to the degree of crosslinking. Hydration and proton conductivity exhibit linear dependence on swelling. Proton conductivity and volumetric fraction of water are related by a power law, indicating a percolated network of finely dispersed aqueous pores in the hydrophilic domains.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available