Alkali resistant cross-linked poly(arylene ether sulfone)s membranes containing aromatic side-chain quaternary ammonium groups

A series of novel cross-linked anion exchange membranes(CPAES-Qs) containing aromatic side-chain quaternary ammonium groups were fabricated via a multi-step process including polycondensation, bromomethylation, heating cross-linking, quaternization, and alkalization reaction. The three dimensional cross-linked structures endow the CPAES-Qs AEMs with enhanced dimensional stability, improving stability of ion transport channels and mechanical properties, and excellent chemical stabilities. The aromatic side-chain quaternary ammonium groups offer good performance of the ion transport channels with conductivities of CPAES-Qs AEMs at 80 °C ranging from 42.7 to 57.5 mS cm−1.Especially, CPAES-Q-90 has the best conductivity and excellent chemical stability simultaneously. These results indicate that the CPAES-Qs ionomers have the distinction of being practical anion exchange membranes of AEMFCs.146