Analysis of the dielectric properties and the charge transfer mechanisms of hybrid organic-inorganic proton exchange membranes based on sulfonated styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene

Анотація

Sulfonated styrene–ethylene–butylene–styrene (sSEBS) membranes have gained significant interest as promising electrolytes for fuel cells due to their reduced cost and high proton conductivity. In addition, they merge the elasticity typical of elastomers with the ease of processing characteristic of thermoplastic materials [1-3].
A series of sSEBS block copolymer membranes was prepared by blending sSEBS solutions with varying weight percentages (10, 20, 30, and 40 wt%) of an organic–inorganic hybrid compound (MG), which acts as a coupling agent to produce a hybrid material. The MG is formulated with a 70/30 ratio of two silane monomers, 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTMS) and 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPTMS) [4]. The prepared membranes were subsequently analyzed to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of their thermal behavior, molecular dynamics, as well as their electrical and proton conductivity properties.