Synthesis and properties of novel sulfonated arylene ether/fluorinated alkane copolymers

The polymerization of 2,3,5,6-tetraphenylhydroquinone (or 2,2 ' ,3,3 ' ,5,5 ' -hexaphenyl-4,4 ' -dihydroxybiphenyl) with alpha ,w-tetrahydroperfluoroa lkanediol and decafluorobiphenyl was carried out to synthesize a series of copolymers III (M-w = 49 100-80 900). The copolymers III are composed of ar ylene ether (10-30 mol %) and fluorinated alkane (90-70 mol %) moieties. Th e reaction of III with chlorosulfonic acid gave sulfonated polymers IV, whi ch are soluble in polar organic solvents and form flexible and transparent films by casting from solution. The polymers TV have glass transition tempe ratures of 109-155 degreesC and decomposition temperatures of ca. 300 degre esC. The hydrated polymers show protonic conductivity (3.4 x 10(-3) S cm(-1 )), which does not decrease at temperatures up to 170 degreesC.