The present invention provides compounds, especially polymeric compounds, having preferably at least one spiro or piperidine structural unit, a process for preparation thereof and the use thereof as anion conducting membrane.

The present invention provides compounds, especially polymeric compounds, having preferably at least one spiro or piperidine structural unit, a process for preparation thereof and the use thereof as anion conducting membrane.

The present invention relates to a porous organic polymer-based hydrogen ion conductive material and a method for preparing the same. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for preparing a porous organic polymer (POP)-based material with high proton conductivity that is applicable to a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). The porous organic polymer-based proton conductive material of the present invention can be prepared in an easy and simple manner by microwave treatment and acid treatment requiring short processing time and low processing cost. In addition, the porous organic polymer-based proton conductive material of the present invention can be developed into a highly proton conductive material having the potential to replace Nafion through a simple post-synthesis modification. Therefore, the porous organic polymer-based proton conductive material of the present invention is suitable for use in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell.

The present invention relates to a porous organic polymer-based hydrogen ion conductive material and a method for preparing the same. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method for preparing a porous organic polymer (POP)-based material with high proton conductivity that is applicable to a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). The porous organic polymer-based proton conductive material of the present invention can be prepared in an easy and simple manner by microwave treatment and acid treatment requiring short processing time and low processing cost. In addition, the porous organic polymer-based proton conductive material of the present invention can be developed into a highly proton conductive material having the potential to replace Nafion through a simple post-synthesis modification. Therefore, the porous organic polymer-based proton conductive material of the present invention is suitable for use in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell.

A laminated electrolyte membrane including a first layer including a hydrocarbon polymer electrolyte as a major component, and a second layer including a fluoropolymer electrolyte and polyvinylidene fluoride as major components laminated on at least one side of the first layer, wherein the first layer and the second layer are laminated via a region in which components constituting both layers are mixed in a mixed region.

A composite proton conductive membrane, comprising an inorganic filler having covalently bonded acidic functional groups and a high surface area of at least 150 m.sup.2/g; and a water insoluble ionically conductive polymer. This membrane provides advantages over traditional polymeric proton conductive membranes for redox flow battery, fuel cell, and electrolysis applications include: 1) enhanced proton conductivity/permeance due to the formation of additional nanochannels for proton conducting; 2) improved proton/electrolyte selectivity for redox flow battery application; 3) reduced membrane swelling and gas or electrolyte crossover; 4) improved chemical stability; 5) increased cell operation time with stable performance, and 6) reduced membrane cost.

Disclosed are an electrolyte membrane of a membrane-electrode assembly comprising a plasma-treated filler and a manufacturing method thereof The electrolyte membrane includes an ionomer having a membrane form and a filler dispersed in the ionomer and having a hydrophobic surface.

The invention relates to: —anion exchange blend membranes consisting the following blend components: —a halomethylated polymer (a polymer with —(CH.sub.2).sub.x—CH.sub.2—Hal groups, Hal=F, Cl, Br, I; x=0-12), which is quaternised with a tertiary or a n-alkylated/n-arylated imidazole, an N-alkylated/N-arylated benzimidazole or an N-alkylated/N-arylated pyrazol to form an anion exchanger polymer. —an inert matrix polymer in which the anion exchange polymer is embedded and which is optionally covalently crosslinked with the halomethylated precursor of the anion exchanger polymer, —a polyethyleneglycol with epoxide or halomethyl terminal groups which are anchored by reacting with N—H-groups of the base matrix polymer using covalent cross-linking—optionally an acidic polymer which forms with the anion-exchanger polymer an ionic cross-linking (negative bound ions of the acidic polymer forming ionic cross-linking positions relative to the positive cations of the anion-exchanger polymer)—optionally a sulphonated polymer (polymer with sulphate groups —SO.sub.2Me, Me=any cation), which forms with the halomethyl groups of the halomethylated polymer covalent crosslinking bridges with sulfinate S-alkylation. The invention also relates to a method for producing said membranes, to the use of said membranes in electrochemical energy conversion processes (e.g. Redox-flow batteries and other flow batteries, PEM-electrolyses, membrane fuel cells), and in other membrane methods (e.g. electrodialysis, diffusion dialysis).

The invention relates to: —anion exchange blend membranes consisting the following blend components: —a halomethylated polymer (a polymer with —(CH.sub.2).sub.x—CH.sub.2—Hal groups, Hal=F, Cl, Br, I; x=0-12), which is quaternised with a tertiary or a n-alkylated/n-arylated imidazole, an N-alkylated/N-arylated benzimidazole or an N-alkylated/N-arylated pyrazol to form an anion exchanger polymer. —an inert matrix polymer in which the anion exchange polymer is embedded and which is optionally covalently crosslinked with the halomethylated precursor of the anion exchanger polymer, —a polyethyleneglycol with epoxide or halomethyl terminal groups which are anchored by reacting with N—H-groups of the base matrix polymer using covalent cross-linking—optionally an acidic polymer which forms with the anion-exchanger polymer an ionic cross-linking (negative bound ions of the acidic polymer forming ionic cross-linking positions relative to the positive cations of the anion-exchanger polymer)—optionally a sulphonated polymer (polymer with sulphate groups —SO.sub.2Me, Me=any cation), which forms with the halomethyl groups of the halomethylated polymer covalent crosslinking bridges with sulfinate S-alkylation. The invention also relates to a method for producing said membranes, to the use of said membranes in electrochemical energy conversion processes (e.g. Redox-flow batteries and other flow batteries, PEM-electrolyses, membrane fuel cells), and in other membrane methods (e.g. electrodialysis, diffusion dialysis).

To provide an electrolyte membrane that exhibits high proton conductivity even at low humidity, the electrolyte membrane includes a composite membrane including: a microporous polyolefin membrane that has an average pore diameter of 1 to 1000 nm and a porosity of 50 to 90% and that can be impregnated with a solvent having a surface free energy of 28 mJ/m.sup.2 or more, and an electrolyte containing a perfluorosulfonic acid polymer having an EW of 250 to 850 loaded into the pores of the microporous polyolefin membrane, wherein the membrane thickness of the composite membrane is 1 to 20 μm.