U.S.-Slovak Research on Properties of Glass-Forming Materials and Proton-Conducting Polymers

美国海军学院的John Fontanella和他的合作伙伴斯洛伐克科学院聚合物研究所的Josef Bartos开展的这项美国-斯洛伐克材料研究项目将研究聚合物电解质中的离子传输和偶极重定向机制。为此，他们将利用斯洛伐克在正电子湮没寿命谱(PALS)和电子自旋共振(ESR)方面的专业知识，以及美国团队在不同压力、温度和频率下聚合物电解质中电子松弛和导电性方面的经验。其目的是为分析提供实验数据，以更好地描述聚合物基质的自由体积微结构、聚合物链的链段运动和离子的扩散运动。在自由体积概念的基础上，将共同开发理论方法，并应用于通过建模和计算机模拟来解释这些结果。如果成功，这些发现将改善目前对玻璃形成材料和质子导电聚合物导电性能的理解，并对开发更好的燃料电池和电池产生直接影响。这一聚合物研究方面的合作项目通过使美国和中欧的专家能够结合互补的人才并在相互感兴趣和能力很强的领域共享研究资源，实现了促进科学知识的计划目标。

This U.S.-Slovak materials research project between John Fontanella of the U.S. Naval Academy and his partner, Josef Bartos of the Polymer Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, will study the mechanisms of ion transport and dipole reorientation in polymer electrolytes. To do so they will draw upon Slovak expertise in positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) and electron spin resonance (ESR) and the U.S. team's experience with electron relaxation and conductivity in polymer electrolytes at varying pressures, temperatures and frequencies. The goal is to produce experimental data for analysis that can better describe the free volume microstructure of polymer matrices, the segmental motions of polymer chains, and the diffusional motions of ions. Based on the free volume concept, theoretical methods will be developed jointly and applied to interpret these results, using modeling and computer simulations. If successful, findings should improve current understanding of the conductive properties of glass-forming materials and proton-conducting polymers with direct implications for developing better fuel cells and batteries. This collaborative project in polymers research fulfills the program objective of advancing scientific knowledge by enabling experts in the United States and Central Europe to combine complementary talents and share research resources in areas of strong mutual interest and competence.