Morphological Tailoring and Properties of Perfluorinated Ionomer/Inorganic Oxide Nanocomposites

独特的全氟有机/无机氧化物杂化材料将在 通过合并最近为解决方案开发的流程来制定 全氟磺酸盐离聚物（PFSI）的熔融加工以及 通过原位溶胶-凝胶反应制备纳米复合材料， 硅和金属醇盐内的PFSI的极性集群。 工作假设是， 无机相是有序的纳米相分离的形态， PFSI矩阵。 在这项研究中，三维 PFSI提供的形态模板将由 操纵聚合物的初级结构，聚合物溶液 条件、薄膜流延程序和后处理（例如， 干燥、退火、熔融淬火、机械取向）。 的 纳米复合材料的微观结构将得到广泛的表征 从光学显微镜的分辨率到 使用各种显微镜，散射，衍射， 和光谱方法。 结构-性质关系将 从机械，热， 介电/电导和气体渗透 这些材料的特性。 第二章的解释 无机相预计将在未来产生“智能”材料。 作为温度和压力传感器的感觉。 定向 纳米复合材料应该具有定向的机械，热， 电性能 微观结构的范围 通过强有力的互动， 与政府（桑迪亚，橡树岭）和工业（陶氏化学 Co.）laboratories. 这项研究的目的是生产出应该用作的新材料 在相当苛刻的条件下的气体选择性渗透膜，以及 这在各种分离中是有用的。 这项研究是在 与电力科学研究院合作。

Unique perfluoro-organic/inorganic oxide hybrid materials will be formulated by merging processes recently developed for the solution and melt processing of perfluorosulfonate ionomers (PFSI's) and the production of nanocomposites by the in situ sol-gel reaction for silicon and metal alkoxides within the polar clusters of PFSI's. The working hypothesis is that the resultant morphology of the inorganic phase is ordered by the nanophase-separated morphology of the PFSI matrix. In this research, the three-dimensional morphological template presented by the PFSI will be tailored by manipulating the primary polymer structure, polymer solution conditions, film casting procedure, and post-processing (e.g. drying, annealing, melt-quenching, mechanical orientation). The nanocomposites will be extensively characterized for microstructure broadly ranging from light microscopic resolution down to the level of Angstroms using various microscopic, scattering, diffraction, and spectroscopic methods. Structure-property relationships will result from the investigation of the mechanical, thermal, dielectric/electrical conductance and gas permeation characteristics of these materials. The percolative nature of the inorganic phase is anticipated to generate "smart" materials in the sense of acting as temperature and pressure sensors. Oriented nanocomposites should possess directional mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties. The scope of the microstructural investigation will be greatly broadened through strong interactions with governmental (Sandia, Oak Ridge) and industrial (Dow Chemical Co.) laboratories. This research aims to produce new materials that should be act as gas-permselective membranes under rather demanding conditions, and this be useful in a variety of separations. This research is in cooperation with the Electric Power Research Institute.