Development of grafted type poly(ether ether ketone) electrolyte membranes; Morphology of PEEK substrate and radiation-induced graft polymerization

Hasegawa, Shin; Chen, J.; Koshikawa, Hiroshi; Iwase, Hiroki*; Koizumi, Satoshi; Onuma, Masato*; Maekawa, Yasunari; Iwase, Hiroki*

Radiation-induced graft polymerization of sulfo-containing styrene derivatives into crystalline poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) substrates was carried out to prepare thermally and mechanically stable polymer electrolyte membranes based on an aromatic hydrocarbon polymer, so-called "super-engineering plastics". Graft polymerization of the sulfo-containing styrene, ethyl 4-styrenesulfonate (E4S) into PEEK substrates with degrees of crystallinity (DC) of 11 - 26% gradually progressed, achieving a grafting degree of more than 50% after 72 hours, whereas graft polymerization of the substrates with DC above 26% did not proceed. When morphological change in these films were measured by SAXS, PEEK films with DC larger than 26% showed a new peak at d=14 nm, corresponding to lamella structure. Thus, the suppression of graft polymerization of PEEK films with DC above 26% was due to obstruct of monomer diffusion by the formation of the oriented lamella structure.