Sulfonated poly phthalazinone arylene

Y. Gao, G. P. Robertson, M. D. Guiver, X. Jian, S. D. Mikhailenko, K. Wang, and S. Kahaguine. Direct copolymerization of sulfonated poly-(phthalazinone arylene ether)s for proton-exchange-membrane materials. J. Polym. Sci., Part A Polym. Chem., 41 2731-2742, 2003. 

Sulfonated poly(arylene ether)s have shown promise for durability in fuel cell systems, while poly-(styrene)- and poly(imide)-based systems serve as model systems for studying structure-relationship properties in PEMs because their questionable oxidative or hydrolytic stability limits their potential application in real fuel cell systems. Sulfonated high performance polymer backbones, such as poly(phe-nylquinoxaline), poly(phthalazinone ether ketone)s, polybenzimidazole, and other aromatic or heteroaromatic systems, have many of the advantages of poly-(imides) and poly(arylene ether sulfone)s and may offer another route to advanced PEMs. These high performance backbones would increase the hydrated Tg of PEMs while not being as hydrolytically sensitive as poly(imides). The synthetic schemes for these more exotic macromolecules are not as well-known, but the interest in novel PEMs will surely spur developments in this area. 

In comparison with the membranes with common aromatic skeletons such as poly-sulfane (PS), poly(ether ether ketone), poly(phthalazinon ether sulfone ketone), poly(etherimide), poly(benzimidazole), poly(phenylene oxide), polysiloxane, poly(oxyethylene) methacrylate, poly(arylene ether sulfone), and polyethersulfone Cardo, which are generally at high price and of complicated synthesis processes, the most important advantages of the aliphatic polymer materials as PEM membranes are their low cost, easy preparation, and simple structure. These aliphatic PEMs are particularly environmentally friendly (e.g., if the quatemization process is proceeded when these aromatic membranes are used for alkaline PEM fuel cells, the synthesis route uses chloromethyl ether for chloromethylation, which is very toxic and carcinogenic). However, the stability of the aliphatic PEMs is not very good. This is probably the biggest challenge when they are used in electrochemical devices. 

S. J. Wang, Y. Z. Meng, A. R. Hlil, A. S. Hay, Synthesis and characterization of Phthalazinone containing Poly(arylene ether)s, Poly(arylene thioether)s, and Poly(arylene sulfone)s via a novel N-C coupling reaction. Macromolecules 37,60-65 (2(X)4). 

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