High Performance Solid Polymer Electrolyte Membranes Prepared from Polyether Ether Ketone Composites

摘要

High performance solid polymer electrolyte membranes (SPEM) were prepared from polyether ether ketone (PEEK) with high mechanical strength and thermal stability. The sulfonation reaction improved membrane hydrophilicity and water absorbility, and thus increased ionic conductivity for the applications in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC). The ionic conductivity has been increased from 10~(-4) to 10~(-2) S cm~(-1) while the sulfonation time was increased from 72 to 168 h. The effects of nano-Si02 composites were devoted to improved thermal and mechanical properties, and methanol permeability. The methanol permeability was decreased from 4.11×10~(-7) to 3.13×10~(-7) cm~2 s~(-1). In addition, the ionic conductivity could be further improved by supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO_2) treatment under the conditions of 20 MPa at 40°C for 30 min.