This technology involves synthesizing poly(ethersulfone) copolymers with morpholinium functional groups attached to aromatic rings, which are then cast and basified to create anion exchange membranes. The copolymer is obtained through a three-step synthesis starting from morpholine and hydroquinone, and the resulting membrane is applied to anion exchange membrane fuel cells.
Quaternary ammonium-based poly(arylene ether)s, widely used as polymers for anion exchange membranes, have suffered from low conductivity at high temperatures and susceptibility to degradation under high pH conditions. Furthermore, the use of volatile substances like trimethylamine for functionalization has posed environmental challenges, limiting large-scale synthesis.
This technology replaces quaternary ammonium with cyclic morpholinium cations attached to the aromatic rings of the polymer backbone, enhancing hydroxide conductivity while ensuring mechanical strength and chemical stability in alkaline environments. The membrane achieves hydroxide conductivity levels of up to 10^-2 S/cm. It can be used as an electrolyte membrane in alkaline anion exchange membrane fuel cells that utilize non-precious metal catalysts, facilitating the development of low-cost fuel cell stacks with reduced platinum dependency.
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