Vibrational spectroscopic study of pure and silica-doped sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) membranes

• FTIR peak area ratio correlated to crystallinity of SPEEK membranes.
• Linear relationship was observed between degree of sulfonation and crystallinity.
• Validating the technique for other polymers with carbonyl groups suggested.

We report the vibrational properties of sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) membranes, used as electrolytes in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells, studied by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. We discuss the changes in the vibrational modes of the functional groups present in the polymer arising due to the sulfonation process and the subsequent incorporation of silica particles functionalized with sulfonic acid group. From the infrared spectra, we confirm the incorporation of sulfonic acid group in the polymer chain as well as in the functionalized silica particles. We have also measured the variations in the peak area ratio of the characteristic out-of-plane vibrations of the aromatic rings in the PEEK polymer at 1280 cm−1 with respect to a reference peak at 1305 cm−1. These values were correlated to the crystallinity (XC) values experimentally determined by DSC technique, providing a non-destructive means to calculate the crystallinity of polymer membranes. The calculated XC values were in good agreement with the experimental values. The crystallinity was observed to decrease with increasing degree of sulfonation (DS), indicating the crystalline-to-amorphous phase modification of the polymer by sulfonation, which along with the enhanced ion-exchange capacity and water uptake, is responsible for the improved ionic conductivity at higher DS values.

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