Crosslinked SPES-SPPSU membranes for high temperature PEMFCs

Highly sulfonated polyethersulfone (SPES; lone exchange capacity = 3.2 meq/g) and polyphenylsulfone (SPPSU; ion exchange capacity = 3.2 meq/g) were synthesized. To get high thermal and chemical stability, a blend membrane was prepared by the composite of SPES and SPPSU. The SPES-SPPSU blend membrane after the annealing treatment at 180 degrees C was stable in water and other organic solvents, and the thermal stability was also more increased than that of pristine SPES and SPPSU polymers due to the crosslinking formation among SPES and SPPSU. The maximum conductivity of 0.12 S/cm was obtained at the temperature of 140 degrees C and RH 90%. Copyright (C) 2012, Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.