Fluorine-free, Hydrocarbon Proton Exchange Membranes for Electrochemical Devices.

能够将质子从阳极传输到阴极的聚合物膜的发展对电化学能量转换和存储技术的发展至关重要。目前选择的质子交换膜材料来源于一类被称为全氟磺酸（PFSA）离聚体的材料。尽管PFSA无处不在，但它价格昂贵，而且尽管它的化学性质相对稳定，但它会缓慢地浸出HF，从而加剧催化剂的降解。寻找替代的无氟膜。本提案解决了开发非pfsa离子单体作为质子传导介质的挑战。西蒙弗雷泽大学发明了一种新型材料，适用于广泛的膜和电化学应用，包括用作燃料电池、水电解槽和电透析器中的质子交换膜。这项工作的目的是研究聚合物合成的规模和发展膜铸造技术，以制备具有足够技术质量和数量的无氟聚合物和膜，以便在原型、商业电化学技术和设备中实施。

The development of polymeric membranes capable of transporting protons from an anode to a cathode is of critical importance to the development of electrochemical energy conversion and storage technologies. The current material of choice for the proton exchange membrane is derived from a class of materials known as PerFluoroSulfonic Acid (PFSA) ionomer . Despite its ubiquitousness, PFSA is costly and, despite its relative chemical stability, slowly leaches HF, which exacerbates catalyst degradation. Alternative, fluorine-free membranes are sought. This proposal addresses the challenge of developing non-PFSA ionomers for use as proton conducting media. A new class of material has been invented at Simon Fraser University, suitable for use in a broad range of membrane and electrochemical applications, including use as proton exchange membranes in fuel cells, water electrolyzers, and electrodialyzers. The objective of the work is to investigate the scale up of the polymer synthesis and to develop membrane casting technology in order to prepare fluorine-free polymers and membranes with sufficient technical quality and quantity to implement them in prototypical, commercial electrochemical technologies and devices.