Studies on novel heat treated sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) [SPEEK]/diol membranes for fuel cell applications

The paper describes the preparation of membranes based on sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) [SPEEK] [degree of sulfonation ∼65%] in the presence of varying amounts of poly (ethylene glycol) (molecular weight 200) [PEG-200] and cyclohexane dimethanol [CDM] using water:ethanol (50:50) as solvent. After drying, the membranes were heat treated at 60 °C (2 h), 80 °C (2 h), 100 °C (2 h), 120 °C (2 h) and 135 °C for 16 h. After the heat treatment, samples were insoluble in water:ethanol (50:50) mixture. The membranes thus obtained were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy (structural), water uptake (hydrolytic stability), thermal stability (TG), mechanical stability and proton conductivity. A significant increase in the hydrolytic stability was observed, SPEEK became elastic and fragile whereas the heat-treated SPEEK/PEG and SPEEK/CDM remained stable even after 135 days of water immersion at 35 °C.

► Cross-linked SPEEK (DS∼65%) membranes were prepared using PEG-200 and CDM as diols.
► Cross-linked SPEEK could be obtained only if water:ethanol (1:1) was used for casting.
► Hydrolytic and dimensional stability of SPEEK enhanced upon cross-linking.
► Membranes cross-linked with PEG-200 showed better performance than neat SPEEK.