New highly proton-conducting membrane based on sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone)s containing fluorophenyl pendant groups, for low-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells

A novel series of sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone)s (SPAESs) containing fluorophenyl pendant groups are successfully developed and their membranes are evaluated in low-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells. The SPAESs are synthesized from 4,4′-dichlorodiphenylsulfone (DCDPS), 3,3′-disulfonate-4,4′-dichlorodiphenylsulfone (SDCDPS), and (4-fluorophenyl)hydroquinone by nucleophilic aromatic substitution polycondensation. The structure and properties of SPAESs membranes are characterized using 1H-NMR, EA, FT-IR, TG, and DSC, along with the proton conductivity, water uptake, ion exchange capacity and chemical stability. A maximum proton conductivity of 0.35 S cm−1 at 90 °C is achieved for SPAES membrane with 50% SDCDPS. These SPAES membranes display high dimensional stability and oxidative durability, due to the introduction of fluorophenyl pendant groups on the polymer backbone. The fuel cell performances of the MEAs with SPAES reaches an initial power density of 120.6 mW cm−2 at 30 °C, and greatly increases to 224.3 mW cm−2 at 80 °C using H2 and O2 gases.