High-performance imidazole-containing polymers for applications in high temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells

This work focuses on the development of high temperature polymer electrolyte membranes(HT-PEMs)as key materials for HT-PEM fuel cells(HT-PEMFCs).Recognizing the challenges associated with the phosphoric acid(PA) doped polybenzimidazole(PBI) membranes,including the use of carcinogenic monomers and complex synthesis procedures,this study aims to develop more cost-effective,readily synthesized,and high-performance alternatives.A series of superacid-catalyzed polyhydroxyalkylation reactions have been carefully designed between p-terphenyl and aldehydes bearing imidazole moieties,resulting in a new class of HT-PEMs.It is found that the chemical structure of aldehyde-substituted N-heterocycles significantly impacts the polymerization reaction.Specifically,the use of 1-methyl-2-imidazole-formaldehyde and 1 H-imidazole-4-formaldehyde monomers leads to the formation of high-viscosity,rigid,and ether-free polymers,denoted as PTIm-a and PTIm-b.Membranes fabricated from these polymers,due to their pendent imidazole groups,exhibit an exceptional capacity for PA absorption.Notably,PTIm-a,carrying methylimidazole moieties,demonstrates a superior chemical stability by maintaining morphology and structural stability during 350 h of Fenton testing.After being immersed in 75 wt% PA at 40℃,the PTIm-a membrane reaches a PA content of 152%,maintains a good tensile strength of 13.6 MPa,and exhibits a moderate conductivity of 50.2 mS cm^(-1) at 180℃.Under H_(2)/O_(2) operational conditions,a single cell based on the PTIm-a membrane attains a peak power density of 732 mW cm^(-2) at 180℃ without backpressure.Furthermore,the membrane demonstrates stable cycle stability over 173 h within 18 days at a current density of 200 mA cm^(-2),indicating its potential for practical application in HT-PEMFCs.This work highlights innovative strategies for the synthesis of advanced HT-PEMs,offering significant improvements in membrane properties and fuel cell performance,thus expanding the horizons of HT-PEMFC technology.

Thermo-and pH-sensitive Polymer with Pendant Spacer-linked Imidazole Cycles

By the reaction of poly(acryloyl chloride) with N-(3-aminopropyl)imidazole, poly(N-(3-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)propyl)acrylamide) was synthesized. The new polymer contains an imidazole ring removed from the main chain by a spacer of five bonds. The structure and purity, molecular weight, hydrodynamic and thermosensitive properties of the obtained sample were studied by1H-and13C-NMR, FTIR spectroscopy, acid-base titration, light scattering, turbidimetry and viscometry. The observed ability of the imidazole-containing polymer to form and destroy associates in water-salt solutions at pH 6.6-7.4 and temperatures of 29-48℃ indicates that these are promising candidates for designing complex biomedical systems. The new polymer is able to form complexes with oligo-DNA more actively than poly(1-vinylimidazole), which is of interest for gene delivery applications. The polymer cross-linked with epichlorohydrin gives micro-relief coatings on the plastic surface, and the modified surface is able to attach negatively charged objects. This thermo-and pH-sensitive polymer modification can be applied to create finely controlled surfaces for cell culturing.