Summary
Sulfonated aromatic polymers are attractive substitutes for perfluorinated ionomers in proton-exchange membrane fuel cells, but their strong affinity for water and limited chemical stability mean they need reinforcement and controlled cross-linking to survive in service. This study builds composite membranes from blends of sulfonated poly(phenylsulfone) and sulfonated poly(ethersulfone) in three ratios, with and without an electrospun PPSU nanofibre mat as reinforcement, then cross-links them by solvent-induced sulfone-bridge formation at 180 °C. Comparing reinforced and unreinforced versions isolates the contribution of the nanofibre mat to dimensional and chemical stability - a route towards fluorine-free membranes for fuel cells.
Authors & Affiliations
Linari Electrospinning Systems
Electrospinning Starter Kit with 20 × 20 cm plate collector
The PPSU mats were spun on a Linari Engineering S.r.l. setup (Pisa, Italy) using a 20 × 20 cm stainless steel plate collector, at 12 kV with a tip-to-collector distance of 17 cm - a static-collector configuration of the Starter Kit, with the HVG-CONT-LCD control unit.