Partially fluorinated copolymers containing pendant piperidinium head groups as anion exchange membranes for alkaline fuel cells.

A new series of partially fluorinated copolymers with varying alkyl side chain length (C3, C6 and C9) and piperidinium head groups have been synthesized and characterized in detail in an effort to improve membrane properties for alkaline fuel cell applications. The copolymers (QPAF4-C-pip) provided thin and bendable membranes by solution casting, and achieved high hydroxide ion conductivity up to 97 mS cm in water at 80 °C. Membrane properties such as water absorbability, conductivity, and mechanical properties were tunable with the side chain length.

Structurally Well-Defined Anion-Exchange Membranes Containing Perfluoroalkyl and Ammonium-Functionalized Fluorenyl Groups.

Novel anion-conductive polymers containing perfluoroalkyl and ammonium-functionalized fluorene groups were synthesized and characterized. The quaternized polymers synthesized using a dimethylaminated fluorene monomer had a well-defined chemical structure in which each fluorenyl group was substituted with two ammonium groups at specific positions. The resulting polymers had a high molecular weight ( = 8.