Elucidation of the morphology of the hydrocarbon multi-block copolymer electrolyte membranes for proton exchange fuel cells

プロトン交換型燃料電池に用いる炭化水素マルチブロック高分子電解質膜のモルフォロジーの解明

Zhao, Y.; 吉田 実留*; 大島 竜也*; 小泉 智*; 陸川 政弘*; Szekely, N.*; Radulescu, A.*; Richter, D.*

Zhao, Y.; Yoshida, Miru*; Oshima, Tatsuya*; Koizumi, Satoshi*; Rikukawa, Masahiro*; Szekely, N.*; Radulescu, A.*; Richter, D.*

We investigated the structure and the swelling behavior of two synthesized hydrocarbon polymer electrolyte membranes, made of multiblock copolymer poly(sulphonate phenylene)-b-poly(arylene ether ketone) with different block ratios, by using small-angle neutron scattering technique. A scattering maximum (ionomer peak) at high-q range is shown commonly in both dry and wet states, with q being the magnitude of the scattering vector, while it shifts towards low-q region in the wet state due to the swelling of the ionomer domains with water. The swelling effect also results to a second scattering maximum in the middle-q range because of the water-induced microphase separation. The morphology in this q-range was elucidated in terms of Hard-Sphere model with Percus-Yervick interference approximation.