Sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (sPEEK) membrane is a promising proton-conducting membrane for fuel cell. However, the performance and lifetime of sPEEK membrane depend on the degree of sulfonation (DS). High DS of sPEEK increases the performance, but the mechanical properties could deteriorate progressively which affect its lifetime. Thus, this study investigated the effect of adding polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) into high DS (80%) of sPEEK through solution blending method toward its physicochemical properties and morphology structures. The PVDF concentration was varied to 5, 10, 15, and 20 wt% relative to the sPEEK content. The existence of hydrophobic PVDF in 80% sPEEK improved the mechanical properties where the water uptake and swelling degree of membrane decreased, whereas the tensile strength increased. The sPEEK/PVDF 15 exhibited the highest proton conductivity (46.23 mS cm−1) at 80°C. Incorporating PVDF into high DS of sPEEK enhanced the mechanical properties which can be used as a proton-conducting membrane for fuel cell that may improve the performance and prolong the lifetime of the cell.

中文翻译：

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高度磺化聚（醚醚酮）与聚偏二氟乙烯共混物作为潜在的质子传导膜燃料电池

磺化聚（醚醚酮）（sPEEK）膜是一种很有前途的燃料电池质子传导膜。然而，sPEEK 膜的性能和寿命取决于磺化程度 (DS)。sPEEK 的高 DS 可提高性能，但机械性能可能会逐渐恶化，从而影响其使用寿命。因此，本研究通过溶液混合方法研究了将聚偏二氟乙烯 (PVDF) 添加到高 DS (80%) sPEEK 中对其理化性质和形态结构的影响。相对于 sPEEK 含量，PVDF 浓度变化为 5、10、15 和 20 wt%。80% sPEEK 中疏水性 PVDF 的存在改善了膜的吸水率和溶胀度降低，而拉伸强度增加的机械性能。sPEEK/PVDF 15 在 80°C 时表现出最高的质子电导率 (46.23 mS cm-1)。将 PVDF 掺入高 DS 的 sPEEK 增强了机械性能，可用作燃料电池的质子传导膜，可以提高性能并延长电池寿命。