Relationship between absorbed water and proton conductivity in sulfopropylated poly(benzimidazole)

Citation
M. Kawahara et al., Relationship between absorbed water and proton conductivity in sulfopropylated poly(benzimidazole), POLYM ADV T, 11(8-12), 2000, pp. 544-547
Citations number
17
Categorie Soggetti
Organic Chemistry/Polymer Science
Journal title
POLYMERS FOR ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES
ISSN journal
10427147 → ACNP
Volume
11
Issue
8-12
Year of publication
2000
Pages
544 - 547
Database
ISI
SICI code
1042-7147(200008/12)11:8-12<544:RBAWAP>2.0.ZU;2-C
Abstract
A novel proton-conducting polymer, sulfopropylated poly(benzimidazole) (PBI -PS), was synthesized by the ring-opening reaction of I,3-propanesultone on the reactive N-H groups of PBI. Cast pms of PBI-PS obtained from a dimethy lsulfoxide solution of PBI-PS exhibited high water uptake, adequate mechani cal strength, and flexibility. The temperature dependence of proton conduct ivity for PBI-PS films hydrated at 90% R.H. showed high proton conductivity of the order of 10(-3) Scm(-1) in the temperature range from room temperat ure to 140 degreesC, which is superior to those of conventional proton cond ucting polymers such as Nafion. The physical behavior of absorbed water in hydrous PBI-PS pms was evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) , indicating that the absorbed water in PBI-PS mainly consisted of freezing bound water. Copyright (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.