Nanostructured proton conducting polystyrene - poly(vinylphosphonic acid) block copolymers prepared via sequential anionic polymerizations
Författare
Summary, in English
Poly(styrene-b-vinylphosphonic acid) diblock copolymers have been prepared via sequential anionic polymerization and evaluated as nanostructured polymer electrolytes. The ionic block copolymers were synthesized by first initiating the polymerization of styrene using n-butyllithium in tetrahydrofuran at −78 °C. 1,1-Diphenylethylene was then added to the living polystyryl anions before charging diethyl vinylphosphonate to polymerize the second block. The poly(diethyl phosphonate) block was subsequently completely hydrolyzed to obtain the poly(vinylphosphonic acid) block. Analysis by calorimetry showed two distinct glass transitions of the acidic copolymers, indicating phase separation between the two blocks. The glass transition temperature of the densely phosphonated blocks was strongly influenced by the formation of anhydride links through reversible self-condensation reactions at elevated temperatures. Studies of thin copolymer films by tapping mode atomic force microscopy revealed nanophase-separated morphologies with continuous phosphonated domains. In addition, the acidic block copolymers were found to self-assemble into spherical micellar nanoparticles which, in turn, formed branched arrays of supramolecular “necklace-like” chain structures. Block copolymers equilibrated at 25 °C and 98% relative humidity reached proton conductivities in the order of 30 mS/cm at 130 °C.
Avdelning/ar
Publiceringsår
2009
Språk
Engelska
Sidor
5146-5154
Publikation/Tidskrift/Serie
Macromolecules
Volym
42
Issue
14
Länkar
Dokumenttyp
Artikel i tidskrift
Förlag
The American Chemical Society (ACS)
Ämne
- Chemical Sciences
Status
Published
ISBN/ISSN/Övrigt
- ISSN: 0024-9297