EFFECTS OF SOLVENT-CASTING CONDITIONS ON THE MORPHOLOGYAND PROPERTIES OF DISULFONATED POLY (ARYLENE ETHER SULFONE) COPOLYMER FILMS FOR POLYMER ELECTROLYTE MEMBRANES

摘要

Disulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) (BPSH) copolymers have been shown to be potentially useful in the generation of polymer electrolyte membranes (PEMs) in fuel cells. In our work we find that solvent-casting conditions such as solvent type, diying temperature, and initial polymer concentration significantly affects the morphology and properties of PEMs produced by means of film casting. The design of the solvent removal process requires a knowledge of the kinetics of phase separation which occurs during the drying process. Block copolymers are found to be much more sensitive to drying conditions than the random copolymers.