• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.59 no.5
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• pp.413-422
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• 2015

Proton exchange membrane (PEM), which transfers proton from the anode to the cathode, is the key component of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). Nafion is widely used as PEM due to its high proton conductivity as well as excellent chemical and physical stabilities. However, its high cost and the environmental hazards limit the commercial application in PEMFCs. To overcome these disadvantages, various alternative polymer electrolytes have been investigated for fuel cell applications. We used densely sulfonated polymers to maximize the ion conductivity of the corresponding membrane. To overcome high swelling, dipole-dipole interaction was used by introducing nitrile groups into the polymer backbone. As a result, physically-crosslinked membranes showed improved swelling ratio despite of high water uptake. All the membranes with different hydrophilic-hydrophobic compositions showed higher conductivity, despite their lower IEC, than that of Nafion-117.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.263-274
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• 2004

The polymeric membrane, a component of battery devices such as Li-ion battery (LIB) and Li-polymer battery (LPB), is a typical material in which the carrier mobility dominates the battery performance. In this paper, the state-of-the-art of membranes for secondary battery is described in terms of membrane properties. Several prerequisites, which are related to stability of battery devices, are discussed to design and prepare suitable polymeric membranes. In addition, physical requirements of membranes and their measurement methods are described to develop applicable polymeric membranes in membrane preparation processes.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.37-43
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• 2007

The effect of anionic and cationic exchange polymer layer on the chronopotentiometry (CP) and current voltage curves (I-V) of charged composite membrane are investigated. Also, the ion transport near the interface between electrolyte and ionic exchange polymer membranes (anionic and cationic ones) and charged mosaic polymer composite membrane is studied. The results show that both anionic and cationic polymer exchange membranes exhibit lower voltage drop over range of applied current density and possess favorable industrial application potentials, especially at low KCl concentration. While the charged mosaic polymer composite membrane didn't show any current-voltage change, irrespective to the type and the concentration of used electrolyte. CP and I-V measurements are effectively used to give some fundamental understanding for ion transport behavior of ion exchange polymer membrane near the interlace.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.333-342
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• 2021

A flexible electrochromic device (ECD) is a promising technology that is expected to be applied in various fields such as smart windows. Polymer electrolyte is an important component that determines the bleaching-coloration performance and physical stability of flexible ECDs. In this study, a pore-filled polymer electrolyte membrane (PFPEM) with excellent dimensional stability was developed to effectively fabricate flexible ECDs and improve durability. Polyvinyl acetate, which has excellent adhesion, and polyethylene glycol, which can improve ionic conductivity, were filled in the pores of a porous substrate made of polyethylene, which is inexpensive and has excellent physical and chemical stability. The optimal lithium salt (LiTFSI) content of the prepared PFPEM was determined at about 27 wt%, and it was confirmed to possess excellent dimensional stability, adhesive strength, and ion conductivity close to that of conventional polymer electrolytes. Although the visible light transmittance was lowered by the use of the porous substrate, it was expected to act as an advantage in the colored state.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.38-42
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• 2016

Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), which is glassy polymer to have amide functional group, was induced to fabricate the facilitated olefin transport membranes for olefin/paraffin separation. Separation performance for the mixed gas consisting of propylene and propane (50 : 50 vol%) was measured by gas chromatography and bubble flow meter. The properties of membranes were confirmed by scanning electron microscope and FT-IR. The results of long-term separation tests showed the selectivity of 15 and permeance of 1.3 GPU. The membranes was compared with poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) $(POZ)/AgBF_4/Al(NO_3)_3$ membranes and the characteristics were confirmed as polymer matrix for facilitated transport membranes.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.164-172
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• 2019

In this work, we demonstrate a facile process to prepare an electrolyte membrane for the supercapacitor based on a graft copolymer consisting of starch and poly(acrylonitrile) (PAN). The graft copolymer (starch-g-PAN) was synthesized via free radical polymerization initiated by ceric ions. The starch-g-PAN was dissolved in ionic liquid, i.e. 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide (EMIM DCA) without any organic solvents at room temperature. The gelation of polymer electrolyte membranes occurred by applying high temperature, i.e. $100^{\circ}C$ for 1 hour. The resultant electrolyte membrane was flexible and thus applied to flexible solid supercapacitors. The performance of the supercapacitor based on starch-g-PAN graft copolymer electrolyte reached 21 F/g at a current density of 0.5 A/g. The cell also showed high cyclic stability with 86% of retention rate within 10,000 cycles. The preparation of starch-g-PAN based polymer electrolyte membrane provides opportunities for facile fabrication of flexible solid supercapacitors with good performance.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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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.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.53-59
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• 2017

In this study, the composite membranes prepared by sulfonated graphene oxide (sGO) and Nafion were developed as proton exchange membranes (PEMs) for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). The sGO/Nafion composite membranes were prepared by mixing Nafion solution with the sGO dispersed in a binary solvent system to improve dispersity of sGO. The composite membranes were investigated in terms of ionic conductivity, ion exchange capacity (IEC), FT-IR, TGA and SEM, etc. As a result, the binary solvent system, i.e., ortho-dichlorobenzene (ODB) and N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc), were used to obtain high dispersion of sGO particles in Nafion solution, and the ionic conductivity of the sGO/Nafion composite membrane showed $0.06Scm^{-1}$ similar to other research results at lower water uptake, 11 wt%.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.80-84
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• 2002

Silver species other than the silver ion were formed by UV irradiation on polymer electrolyte membranes containing silver salts and their effect on complexation behavior between the silver and olefin was investigated through the separation performance of olefin/paraffin mixtures. The ideal propylene/propane separation factor reached 350 and the separation coefficient was ca.15 due to the high loading amount of silver ions into poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) (POZ) without UV irradiation. On UV irradiation either in air or under nitrogen, the silver-POZ membranes became yellow-brown initially due to the formation of colloidal silver particles, and finally black and metal-like luster. Even when Ag$^{+}$ was converted, to some extent, to Ag$^{\circ}$ by UV irradiation in air at the early stage, the separation coefficient of olefin/paraffin mixtures was maintained. This suggests that silver species other than the silver ion is active for olefin carrier for facilitated transport. Meanwhile the steady decrease of the separation coefficient was observed in the silver/POZ membranes irradiated under $N_2$. It is suggested that the reduction of silver ions in POZ goes through a different photoreduction mechanism with UV irradiation depending on the environment.t.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.213-221
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• 2011

Using poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) as a polymer host, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) as a plasticizer, potassium iodide and iodine as sources of $I^-/I_3^-$, polymer electrolyte membranes were prepared. Based on the polymer electrolytes, solid-state dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC)s were fabricated. The content of PEG in the electrolyte was controlled to be 95%. The mole number of KI per 1 mole of EO ([KI]/[EO] ratio) in the electrolyte was changed to be 0.022, 0.044, 0.066 and 0.088. The electrolyte membrane showed wax phase in ambient temperature. The ionic conductivity increased with increasing KI content to reach the maximum value at which [KI]/[EO] ratio is 0.066. After the maximum value, the ionic conductivity decreased with increasing KI content. In the case of DSSC, the Voc decreased continuously with increasing KI content in the polymeric electrolyte membrane. The $J_{SC}$ increased with increasing KI content to show maximum value at which [KI]/[EO] ratio is 0.044. In the higher KI content region, $J_{SC}$ value decreased with increasing KI content.