PROTON-CONDUCTING HYDROGEL MEMBRANES

Proton-conducting poly(acryl amide) hydrogels are prospective material s for application in electrochemical devices working at ambient temper atures. In the present paper, the conducting properties of hydrogels d oped with H3PO4 or H2SO4 are analysed in connection with such features of the hydrogel membrane as sorption and permeation of solvents and t ensile strength. It is shown that these features depend on the concent ration of the acid used as protonic dopant as well as on the compositi on of the hydrogel membrane, i.e, the amount of crosslinking and gelat ion agents used in the gel synthesis. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd.