Highly conductive anion exchange membranes based on polymer networks containing imidazolium functionalised side chains

Abstract Two novel types of anion exchange membranes (AEMs) having imidazolium-type functionalised nanofibrous substrates were prepared using the facile and potentially scalable method. The membranes’ precursors were prepared by graft copolymerization of vinylbenzyl chloride (VBC) onto syndiotactic polypropylene (syn-PP) and polyamide-66 (PA-66) nanofibrous networks followed by crosslinking with 1,8-octanediamine, thermal treatment and subsequent functionalisation of imidazolium groups. The obtained membranes displayed an ion exchange capacity (IEC) close to 1.9 mmol g–1 and ionic (OH-) conductivity as high as 130 mS cm–1 at 80 °C. This was coupled with a reasonable alkaline stability representing more than 70% of their original conductivity under accelerated degradation test in 1 M KOH at 80 °C for 360 h. The effect of ionomer binder on the performance of the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) in AEM fuel cell was evaluated with the optimum membrane. The MEA showed a power density of as high as 440 mW cm−2 at a current density is 910 mA cm−2 with diamine crosslinked quaternized polysulfone (DAPSF) binder at 80 °C with 90% humidified H2 and O2 gases. Such performance was 2.3 folds higher than the corresponding MEA performance with quaternary ammonium polysulfone (QAPS) binder at the same operating conditions. Overall, the newly developed membrane was found to possess not only an excellent combination of physico-chemical properties and a reasonable stability but also to have a facile preparation procedure and cheap ingredients making it a promising candidate for application in AEM fuel cell.