Preparation and Characterization of New Sulfonated Partially Fluorinated Polyarylenesulfones and Their Blends with Polybenzimidazole

Abstract

A novel partially fluorinated and sulfonated poly(arylene sulfone) was successfully synthesized via nucleophilic polycondensation of 2,2-Bis(4-fluorophenyl)hexafluoropropane with 4,4'-Thiobisbenzenethiol (TBBT). In a second step the prepared poly(arylene sulfide) was oxidized to poly(arylene sulfone). The polymer was blended with the polybenzimidazole PBIOO to obtain a mechanically stable membrane. This film was compared with other polymer blends, which were synthesized in our groups in the last years. All membranes were analyzed in terms of water uptake, thermal and oxidative stability. Additional the blend membranes were characterized by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The novel poly(arylene)sulfone SPSO blend shows a high molecular weight and an excellent TSO3H, onset of 334°C. The proton conductivity is 0,11 S/cm and the water uptake reaches 30%.