Fig. 1. Structures of (1) polybenzimidazole random copolymer (XY) and (2) m-polybenzimidazole (m-PBI) polymer.
Fig. 2. FT-IR spectroscopy of the PBI random copolymers: (A) X1Y9, (B) X1Y1, (C) X9Y1, and (D) m-PBI.
Fig. 3. TGA curves of the PBI copolymers: (A) X1Y9, (B) X1Y1, (C) X9Y1, and (D) m-PBI.
Fig. 4. Acid uptake of the PBI polymers: (a) X1Y9, (b) X1Y1, (c) X9Y1, and (d) m-PBI.
Fig. 5. Oxidative stability of the PBI polymers: (A) X1Y9, (B) X1Y1, (C) X9Y1, and (D) m-PBI.
Fig. 6. SEM images of the PBI polymers: (a) X1Y9, (b) X1Y1, (c) X9Y1, and (d) m-PBI.
Fig. 7. Proton conductivity of the PBI copolymers(XY): (A) X1Y9, (B) X1Y1, and (C) X9Y1.
Table 1. Solubility tests of the PBI polymers
Table 3. Oxidative stability of the PBI polymers
Table 4. EDAX results of the PBI polymers.
Table 2. (a) Swelling ratio and (b) acid uptake of the PBI polymersa
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