Proton exchange membranes prepared by radiation-induced graft copolymerization from binary monomer mixtures onto poly(tetrafluoroethylene-co-hexafluoropropylene) film

Sulfonic acid proton exchange membranes based on a poly(tetrafluoroethylene-co-hexafluoropropylene) film were synthesized through the single-step graft copolymerization of sodium styrenesulfonate and acrylic acid monomers from binary monomer aqueous solutions using the electron beam pre-irradiation method in air. The effects of the various polymerization parameters (absorbed dose, reaction time, and monomer ratio) on the degree of grafting were studied.A correlation between the degree of grafting and some of the physical–chemical properties (water uptake and ion-exchange capacity) of the synthesized copolymers was established. The distribution of the sulfonic acid groups was investigated across the thickness of several membranes in order to gain a better understanding of the graft copolymerization process from binary monomer aqueous solutions onto the fluorinated film and to synthesize membranes with optimal physical–chemical properties.