抄録
Fuel cells have attracted considerable attention as a promising energy device since it provides efficiently electric energy without emitting pollutants and green-house gases. Proton conductive membranes are one of the key components in polymer electrolyte fuel cells. The technical requirements for proton conductive membranes are high proton conductivity, gas impermeability, high vapor permeability, and chemical and mechanical stability under fuel cell operating conditions. Although fluorinated proton conductive membranes are currently most used, there has been a great demand for non-fluorinated alternatives because the fluorinated polymers have some drawbacks such as high oxygen permeability and high cost. In this article, I report synthesis and properties of proton conductive aromatic polymers, e.g., sulfonated polyimides and poly(arylene ether)s, for fuel cell applications. I focus on the effect of molecular structures (chemical components, cross-linking, branching, and/or block copolymers) on the membrane properties. Fuel cell performance and durability of the membranes are also described.
