Development and characterization of acid-doped polybenzimidazole/sulfonated polysulfone blend polymer electrolytes for fuel cells

Polymeric membranes from blends of sulfonated polysulfones (SPSF) and polybenzimidazole (PBI) doped with phosphoric acid were developed as potential high-temperature polymer electrolytes for fuel cells and other electrochemical applications. The water uptake and acid doping of these polymeric membranes were investigated. Ionic conductivity of the membranes was measured in relation to temperature, acid doping level, sulfonation degree of SPSF, relative humidity, and blend composition. The conductivity of SPSF was of the order of 10(-3) S cm(-1). In the case of blends of PBI and SPSF it was found to be higher than 10(-2) S cm(-1). Much improvement in the mechanical strength is observed for the blend polymer membranes, especially at higher temperatures. Preliminary work has demonstrated the feasibility of these polymeric membranes for fuel-cell applications. (C) 2001 The Electrochemical Society.