The present invention relates to new anion exchange polymers and (blend) membranes made from polymers containing highly fluorinated aromatic groups by means of nucleophilic substitution and processes for their production by means of nucleophilic aromatic substitution and their areas of application in membrane processes, in particular in electrochemical membrane processes such as fuel cells, electrolysis and redox flow batteries.

A polymer electrolyte membrane according to the present invention has a cluster diameter of 2.96 to 4.00 nm and a converted puncture strength of 300 gf/50 μm or more. The polymer electrolyte membrane according to the present invention has a low electric resistance and an excellent mechanical strength.

To provide an ion exchange membrane with a catalyst layer, an ion exchange membrane and an electrolytic hydrogenation apparatus, which can lower electrolysis voltage and increase current efficiency at the time of electrolytic hydrogenation of an aromatic compound.

The ion exchange membrane with a catalyst layer of the present invention has an inorganic particle layer containing inorganic particles and a binder, a layer (Sa) containing a first fluorinated polymer having sulfonic acid type functional groups, and a layer (Sb) containing a second fluorinated polymer having sulfonic acid type functional groups, and a catalyst layer, in this order, wherein the ion exchange capacity of the above first fluorinated polymer is lower than the ion exchange capacity of the above second fluorinated polymer.

A processing method of a base material sheet includes winding out the base material sheet wound up by a first core and a first porous sheet wound up by a second core, winding up by a third core the base material sheet and the first porous sheet to be overlapped with each other, and processing the base material sheet by a first processing liquid held in the first porous sheet; and winding out the base material sheet and the first porous sheet overlappingly wound up by the third core, winding up the first porous sheet by the second core, and winding up the base material sheet by the first core.

The copolymer includes divalent units represented by formula —[CF.sub.2—CF.sub.2]—, divalent units represented by formula; and one or more divalent units independently represented by formula: The copolymer has an —SO.sub.2X equivalent weight in a range from 300 to 2000. A polymer electrolyte membrane that includes the copolymer and a membrane electrode assembly that includes such a polymer electrolyte membrane are also provided.

Provided are membranes useful for electrochemical or fuel cells. A membrane may be formed of or include a sulfonated polymer whereby the sulfonated polymer is covalently or ionically associated with a multi-nitrogen containing heterocyclic molecule. The resulting membranes possess excellent ion conductivity and selectivity.

The present invention relates to a liquid composition comprising a polymer bearing —SO3H groups and a perfluoroelastomer, a method for manufacturing said liquid composition and an article manufactured by using said composition. Preferably, said article is a proton exchange membrane, which shows at the same time good mechanical resistance and electrochemical properties and is useful for example as separator in fuel cells.

A method for producing a fluorosulfonyl group-containing compound to obtain a compound represented by the following formula 5 from a compound represented by the following formula 1 as a starting material and a method for producing a fluorosulfonyl group-containing monomer in which the fluorosulfonyl group-containing compound is used: ##STR00001##
wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are a C.sub.1-3 alkylene group, and R.sup.F1 and R.sup.F2 are a C.sub.1-3 perfluoroalkylene group.

A process for producing an ion exchange precursor resin membrane involves co-extruding an ion exchange precursor resin with an incompatible polymer to form a multilayer film having a layer of the ion exchange precursor resin supported on a layer of the incompatible polymer. The layer of incompatible polymer is then removed from the layer of ion exchange precursor resin to provide the ion exchange precursor resin membrane. The ion exchange precursor resin membrane may be converted to an ion exchange resin membrane by hydrolysis, and subsequent acidification if desired. Ion exchange resin membranes and ion exchange precursor resin membranes having a uniform thickness of 25 microns or less may be formed by the process.

To provide an ion exchange membrane for alkali chloride electrolysis which has high membrane strength and low membrane resistance, thereby capable of reducing the electrolysis voltage during alkali chloride electrolysis. In this ion exchange membrane (1) for alkali chloride electrolysis, a reinforcing material 20 formed by weaving reinforcing yarns 22 and sacrificial yarns 24 is disposed in a layer (S) 14, and layer (S) 14 has elution portions 28 formed by elution of at least portions of the sacrificial yarns 24. In a cross section perpendicular to reinforcing yarns of the warp, the average distance (d1) from the center of a reinforcing yarn 22 to the center of the adjacent reinforcing yarn 22, the total area (P) obtained by adding the cross-sectional area of an elution portion 28 and the cross-sectional area of a sacrificial yarn 24 remaining in the elution portion 28, the number (n) of elution portions between adjacent reinforcing yarns 22, and the ion exchange capacity of a layer (Sa) located on the most anode side in the layer (S) 14 during alkali chloride electrolysis, are controlled to be within specific ranges, respectively.