• Proceedings of the Polymer Society of Korea Conference
• /
• 2006.10a
• /
• pp.269-269
• /
• 2006

The molecular structure of poly(2,6-dimethyl-4,4' -phenylene oxide)-g-poly (styrenesulfonic acid) (PPO-g-PSSA) graft copolymer was designed, and synthesized via living radical polymerization. Obtained graft copolymers were transformed into proton exchange membranes for direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) application. The performance of the membranes was measured in terms of water uptake, proton conductivity, methanol permeability, and thermal stability. Very low methanol permeability and good proton conductivity were observed by adjusting grafting frequency and PSSA block content.

• Polymer(Korea)
• /
• v.38 no.2
• /
• pp.205-212
• /
• 2014

Polyethersulfone (PES) membranes were modified by various physico-chemical modification methods to enhance the surface hydrophilicity for application as a separation membrane to separate and collect water vapor from the flue gas. Homogeneous PES flat-sheet membranes were prepared and modified by acid treatment, blending and plasma treatment for hydrophilic surface modification. The surface characteristics of the modified PES membranes were evaluated by ATR-FTIR, XPS, SEM and contact angle measurements. No significant change in hydrophilicity was observed for the PES membranes modified by acid treatment with sulfuric acid or blending with various compositions of poloxamer as an amphiphilic PEO-PPO-PEO tri-block copolymer. On the other hand, Ar plasma treatment led to a significant increase in the hydrophilicity of the surface, depending on the plasma treatment time. As a result, the PES membrane could be the most efficiently surface-treated by applying the plasma treatment for enhancing their surface hydrophilicity.

• Macromolecular Research
• /
• v.16 no.6
• /
• pp.549-554
• /
• 2008

Proton conducting crosslinked membranes were prepared using polymer blends of polystyrene-b-poly(hydroxyethyl acrylate)-b-poly(styrene sulfonic acid) (PS-b-PHEA-b-PSSA) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA). PS-b-PHEA-b-PSSA triblock copolymer at 28:21:51 wt% was synthesized sequentially using atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). FT-IR spectroscopy showed that after thermal ($120^{\circ}C$, 2 h) and chemical (sulfosuccinic acid, SA) treatments of the membranes, the middle PHEA block of the triblock copolymer was crosslinked with PVA through an esterification reaction between the -OH group of the membrane and the -COOH group of SA. The ion exchange capacity (IEC) decreased from 1.56 to 0.61 meq/g with increasing amount of PVA. Therefore, the proton conductivity at room temperature decreased from 0.044 to 0.018 S/cm. However, the introduction of PVA resulted in a decrease in water uptake from 87.0 to 44.3%, providing good mechanical properties applicable to the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) of fuel cells. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that the membrane was microphase-separated with a nanometer range with good connectivity of the $SO_3H$ ionic aggregates. The power density of a single $H_2/O_2$ fuel cell system using the membrane with 50 wt% PVA was $230\;mW/cm^2$ at $70^{\circ}C$ with a relative humidity of 100%. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) also showed a decrease in the thermal stability of the membranes with increasing PVA concentration.

• Membrane Journal
• /
• v.30 no.6
• /
• pp.385-394
• /
• 2020

In the gas separation process, the separation membranes have to not only show high gas transport and selectivity but also exhibit exceptional stability at high temperature and pressure. However, when the polymeric membranes (particularly, glassy polymers) are exposed to the condensable gases (i.e., CO2, H2S, hydrocarbon, etc.), the polymer chains are prone to swell, leading to low stability. As a result, the plasticization behavior reduces the gas selectivity in the separation of mixture gases at high pressures and thus results in limited applications to the separation processes. To address these issues, many strategies have been studied such as thermal treatment, polymer blending, thermally rearrangement, mixed-matrix membranes, cross-linking, etc. In this review, we will understand the plasticization behavior and suggest potential methods based on the previously reported studies.

• Macromolecular Research
• /
• v.12 no.4
• /
• pp.413-421
• /
• 2004

Sulfonated poly(phthalazinone ether sulfone ketone) (SPPESK) membranes and sol-gel derived SPPESK/silica hybrid membranes have been investigated as potential polymer electrolyte membranes for direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) applications. In comparison with the SPPESK membrane, the SPPESK/silica membranes exhibited higher water content, improved proton conductivity, and lower methanol permeability. Notably, the silica embedded in the membrane acted as a material for reducing the fraction of free water and as a barrier for methanol transport through the membrane. From the results of proton conductivity and methanol permeability studies, we suggest that the fractions of bound and free water should be optimized to obtain desirable proton conductivities and methanol permeabilities. The highly sulfonated PPESK hybrid membrane (HSP-Si) displayed higher proton conductivity (3.42 ${\times}$ 10$^2$ S/cm) and lower methanol permeability (4.15 ${\times}$ 10$\^$7/ $\textrm{cm}^2$/s) than those of Nafion 117 (2.54 ${\times}$ 10$^2$ S/cm; 2.36 ${\times}$ 10$\^$6/ $\textrm{cm}^2$/s, respectively) at 30$^{\circ}C$. This characteristic of the SPPESK/silica membranes is desirable for future applications related to DMFCs.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
• /
• v.51 no.2
• /
• pp.197-200
• /
• 2013

Silk fibroin is a natural biomaterial that has the biocompatibility and other many advantages. But as a silk fibroin membrane thickness increases, the transparency becomes more opaque. Because the transparency of membranes tissue such as the cornea and dura mater are necessary, transparent membrane is required to replace these transparent membranes. In this study, we fabricated blending silk fibroin membranes that made by mixing the various inorganic salts or polymer in an aqueous solution of silk fibroin. The transparency of the membranes were analyzed. the transparency of these membranes is very different, depending on the mixed materials. Inorganic salts mixed silk membrane was more transparent than the polymer mixed one. Especially, the silk fibroin membrane with calcium chloride was very transparent. We showed the possibility of blending silk fibroin membrane, which can be used in perfect transparent membrane such as the cornea. In the future, we expect that the transparent blending silk fibroin membrane can be used in various medical applications.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.89-93
• /
• 2004

Sulfonated polysulfone (SPSF) with poly(phenylmethyl silsesquioxane, PPSQ) composite polymer electrolyte membranes were prepared and their proton conductivity, water uptake and methanol permeability of membranes were characterized. By controlling the ratio of $(CH_3)_3SCI\;and\;CISO_3H$ and reaction time, SPSF with $37\~75\%$ degree of sulfonation were synthesized. The increase of sulfonate groups in the base polymer resulted in the increase of the water uptake in the membranes as well as methanol permeability. Composite membranes were prepared by casting of DMF solution of SPSF and PPSQ. The proton conductivity of the composite membrane at room temperature was $2.8\times10^{-3}\~4.9\times10^{-2}S/cm.$ The increase of PPSQ contents in composite membranes resulted in a decrease in water uptake and methanol permeability. Composite membranes containing $5\%$ PPSQ did not make a significant effect on the proton conductivity nO methanol permeability compared with that of pristine SPSF, but a significant decrease of water uptake was observed.

• Membrane Journal
• /
• v.33 no.6
• /
• pp.416-426
• /
• 2023

In this study, hindered amine-grafted graphene oxide (HA-GO) with antioxidant properties was prepared and incorporated into Nafion-based composite membranes as an effective filler material for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell applications. HA-GO was synthesized via a ring-opening reaction between amine groups in 4-amino-2, 2, 6, 6-tetramethyl piperidine and epoxy groups on the surface of GO. Nafion-based composite membranes containing different weight contents of HA-GO were fabricated to compare the polymer electrolyte membrane properties with those of the pure Nafion membrane. The composite membranes with HA-GO were found to have better mechanical properties, chemical stability, and proton conductivity than the pure Nafion membrane. In particular, the conductivity retention behavior confirmed by the decrease in proton conductivity after Fenton's test of the composite membranes was better than that of the pure Nafion membrane due to the incorporation of HA-GO with effective antioxidant properties.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
• /
• v.54 no.1
• /
• pp.36-43
• /
• 2016

Hydrosilylation reactions of 2.4.6.8-tetrahydro-2.4.6.8-tetramethylcyclotetrasiloxane with allyl butyrate catalyzed by Karstedt's, $H_2PtCl_6$ and Pt/C catalyst were studied and 2.4.6.8-tetra (propyl butyrate)-2.4.6.8-tetramethylcyclotetrasiloxane was obtained. The reaction order, activation energies and rate constants were determined. Ringopening polymerization of 2.4.6.8-tetra (propyl butyrate)-2.4.6.8-tetramethylcyclotetrasiloxane in the presence of $CaF_2$, LiF, KF and anhydrous potassium hydroxide in $60-70^{\circ}C$ temperature range was carried out and methylsiloxane oligomers with regular arrangement of propyl butyrate pendant groups were obtained. The synthesized products were studied by FTIR and NMR spectroscopy. The polysiloxanes were characterized by wide-angle X-ray, gel-permeation chromatography and DSC analyses. Via sol-gel processes of oligomers doped with lithium trifluoromethylsulfonate or lithium bis (trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, solid polymer electrolyte membranes were obtained. The dependences of ionic conductivity of obtained polyelectrolytes on temperature and salt concentration were investigated, and it was shown that electric conductivity of the polymer electrolyte membranes at room temperature changed in the range $3.5{\times}10^{-4}{\sim}6.4{\times}10^{-7}S/cm$.

• Proceedings of the Membrane Society of Korea Conference
• /
• 1993.10a
• /
• pp.58-58
• /
• 1993

Pervaporation has become important as a method to separate liquid mixtures, sepecially azeotropic and close boiling-point mixtures. Especially, water-alcohol separations have been carried out a lot because of the practical interests in the industries. However, outstanding membranes with high selectivity and high permeability have not been available in common use yet. In order to separate selectively out the water mixed with alcohols with an aim of the purification of the alcohols, a membrane has tO have excellent affinity to water. Among the hydrophilic polymers, polyacrylic acid and poly(vinyl alcohol) are used widely. In recent years, ionomers and polyion complexes, better hydrophitic materials, start to be used. The polyion complex membranes, consisting of polyacrylic acid (PAA) and polycation, showed excellent permeation rates and selectivities. It was known that among the polycations, ioneries, which have quaternary ammonium groups in the backbone chain, were more effective in giving membranes of higher permselectivities. On this base, syntheses and characterizations of the polycations, with different chemical structures from the published ones, for the polyion complex membrane formation were studied in this paper.