Ionic polymer‐metal composites made from radiation grafted FEP‐g‐styrene‐SO₃H membranes

Abstract

Ionic polymer-metal composites have been made from radiation grafted fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) membranes. Membranes have been synthesized by grafting of styrene on FEP films followed by sulfonation. These membranes were then used to fabricate IPMCs. Chemical plating of silver has been done to form the microelectrodes. Influence of degree of grafting on actuation, surface resistance, and tensile properties of the IPMC have been evaluated. It has been observed that on increasing the degree of grafting surface resistance, tensile strength, and elongation of IPMC decrease while degree of actuation and modulus increase.

Proton Conducting Sulphonated Fluorinated Poly(Styrene) Crosslinked Electrolyte Membranes

“…The terminal chloride atoms were then substituted by azide groups, allowing membrane crosslinking under UV-light [26,27]. In addition, radiation grafted membranes were also achieved from poly(fluorinated ethylene propylene) membranes [28][29][30], poly(vinylidene fluoride) [31] or poly(tetrafluoroethylene-co-perfluorovinyl ether) [32] leading to fluoropolymer grafted polystyrene sulphonic acid (FPg-PSSA) after sulphonation of the PS grafts. However, for most of them, these membranes were obtained from complex syntheses of grafted (co)polymers.…”