• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.17-25
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• 2003

Using atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), polystyrene macroinitiators and polystyrene-b-poly(t-butyl acrylate) (PS-b-P(tBA) block copolymers were synthesized by CuBr/PMDETA catalyst system in solution. After hydrolysis, polystyrene-b-poly(acrylic acid), amphiphilic block copolymers, were formed. Subsequent neutralization of polyacid block led to the block ionomers. The molecular weight of the synthesized PS-b-P(tBA) block copolymers was easily-controlled to 5000-10000 and their distributions were less than 1.2. The chemical structures of the synthesized block copolymers were characterized by $^1$H-NMR and FT-IR. In the DSC thermograms, $T_g$ appeared in the vicinity of 100 $^{\circ}C$ because of higher styrene content. In addition, the phase separation of the block ionomers was observed by TEM.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.252-262
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• 2019

A sulfonated star branched poly(styrene-b-butadiene-b-styrene) triblock copolymer (SSBS) was synthesized with varying degrees of sulfonation. The effective sulfonation on the butadiene block was confirmed by FT-IR spectroscopy. Ion exchange capacity by titration was used to determine the degree of sulfonation. The synthesized polymer observed enhanced water uptake and proton conductivity. At room temperature, the SSBS with 25 mol% degree of sulfonation showed an outstanding proton conductivity of 0.114 S/cm, similar to that of commercial membrane, Nafion. The effect of temperature at constant relative humidity on conductivity resulted to a remarkable increase in proton conductivity. Methanol permeability studies showed a value lower than Nafion for all the sulfonated membranes. Structural nature observed using AFM showed that the membranes observed microphase separated nanostructures and the connectivity of the interionic channels.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.103-110
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• 2005

Proton conducting solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) membranes have been used in many energy technological applications such as water electolysis, fuel cells, redox-flow battery, and other electrochemical devices. The availability of stable membranes with good electrochemical characteristics as proton conductivity at high temperatures above 80 $^{\circ}C$ and low cost are very important for its applications. However, the presently available perfluorinated ionomers are not applicable because of high manufacturing cost and high temperature use to the decrease in the proton conductivity and mechanical strength. In order to make up for the weak points, the block copolymer (BPSf) of polysulfone and poly (phenylene sulfide sulfone) were synthesized and sulfonated. The electrolyte membranes were prepared with phosphotungstic acid (HPA)/sulfonated BPSf via solution blending. This study would be desirable to investigate the interaction between the HPA and sulfonated polysulfone. The results showed that the characteristics of SPSf/HPA blend membrane was a better than Nafion at high temperature, 100 $^{\circ}C$. These membranes proved to have a high proton conductivity, $6.29{\times}10-2$ S/cm, a water content, 23.9%, and a ion exchange capacity, 1.97 meq./g dry membrane. Moreover, some of the membranes kept their high thermal and mechanical stability.