IONOMER MEMBRANE INCORPORATING A NEW SUPERACID

IONOMER MEMBRANES ARE PRESENTLY USED IN DESALINATION, WASTE WATER CLEANUP, CHEMICAL PRODUCTION, AND FUEL CELLS. USE OF A MEMBRANE MATERIAL WITH LOWER IONIC RESISTIVITY THAN IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE WOULD REDUCE THE ENERGY EXPENDITURE IN ALL OF THESE PROCESSES. IN ADDITION, LOWER PRODUCTION COST AND IMPROVED STABILITY WOULD ACCELERATE THEIR INCORPORATION INTO NEW INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES. A NEW CLASS OF IONOMER MEMBRANE IS BEING MADE FROM MONOMERS DERIVATIZED WITH A SUPER ACID WITH PK. <-1.0 AND LOW MOLECULAR WEIGHT OF ABOUT 200 G/MOLE. THE MONOMER IS SYNTHESIZED FROM LOW COST, READILY AVAILABLE, STARTING MATERIALS AND WILL BE POLYMERIZED BY RADICAL POLYMERIZATION OR INCORPORATED INTO FLUORINATED POLYMERS BY RADIATION GRAFTING. THE ACID STRENGTH, EQUIVALENT WEIGHT, WATER SORPTION, AND THERMAL, HYDROLYTIC, AND CHEMICAL STABILITY OF THE POLYMERS WILL BE EVALUATED. THE NEW MEMBRANES WILL COMBINE THE PROPERTIES OF LOW RESISTANCE, GOOD STABILITY, AND LOW COST.