Three challenges face the extensive use of ion conducting membranes: The need to decouple mechanical properties from ionic conductivity, the low concentration of dissociated ions within most polymeric matrices and a relatively low mobility of the macromolecule-enclosed ionic species. This work describes the development of ion conducting sol-gel membranes and diblock copolymers where the ion transport has been decoupled from the membranes macroscopic mechanical properties. The modular syntheses used in this work allow access to a wide range of compositions and properties. This study has also shown that increasing the polymer backbone polarity has a dramatic effect on ion conductivity, regardless of the specific ion being transported. Proton, lithium and iodide conducting systems, with ion conductivities within an order of magnitude from target benchmarks, will be presented as examples.

Ion transport through polymers: New insights into the design of polymer films as ion transporting membranes for renewable energy applications

245th National Meeting (2013)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.