Sulfonated Polyimide Membranes Derived from a Novel Sulfonated Diamine with Pendant Benzenesulfonic Acid for Fuel Cells
Khurram Liaqat,
Srosh Fazil,
Wajid Rehman,
Shaukat Saeed,
Farid Menaa,
Syed Asim Hussain Shah,
Muhammad Nawaz,
Walaa Naji Alharbi,
Bouzid Menaa,
Muhammad Farooq
Affiliations
Khurram Liaqat
Department of Chemistry, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Rawalakot 12350, Pakistan
Srosh Fazil
Department of Chemistry, University of Poonch Rawalakot, Rawalakot 12350, Pakistan
Wajid Rehman
Department of Chemistry, Hazara University Mansehra, KPK, Mansehra 21120, Pakistan
Shaukat Saeed
Department of Chemistry, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
Farid Menaa
Co-Pionneers of Spectro-Fluor™ (aka Carbone-Fluorine Spectroscopy), Fluorotronics-CIC, Inc., San Diego, CA 92037, USA
Syed Asim Hussain Shah
Department of Physics and Chemistry, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn, Parit Raja 86400, Johor, Malaysia
Muhammad Nawaz
Department of Chemistry, Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences (BUITEMS), Airport Road Baleli, Quetta 87100, Pakistan
Walaa Naji Alharbi
Department of Chemistry, Science and Arts College, Rabigh Campus, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 80200, Saudi Arabia
Bouzid Menaa
Co-Pionneers of Spectro-Fluor™ (aka Carbone-Fluorine Spectroscopy), Fluorotronics-CIC, Inc., San Diego, CA 92037, USA
Muhammad Farooq
Department of Physics, Hazara University Mansehra, KPK, Mansehra 21120, Pakistan
For improving the hydrolytic stability of sulfonated polyimides consisting of five membered anhydrides, novel sulfonated polyimides (NSPIs) were prepared via polymerization of 3,3′,4,4′-benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride (BTDA), with a novel diamine monomer with a pendant sulfonic acid group and 4,4-oxydianiline. Water uptake of this NSPI with an excellent film-forming ability was almost equal to that of Nafion® 117, while their ion exchange capacity (IEC) was 22% higher than Nafion® 117. The loss in weight decreased by 53% and loss in IEC decreased by 66% compared to that of Nafion® 117; both were used to quantitatively measure hydrolytic stability, and radical oxidative stability also increased by 75% when compared with Nafion® 117. Mechanically, this NSPI was superior, and its proton conductivity was higher than Nafion® 117 at elevated temperatures. All these improvements were due to the introduction of this pendant group. Taken together, we herein report a promising renewable energy source based on SPIs capable of displaying proton conductivity and enhanced hydrophilicity.
