Novel sulfonated polyimides as polyelectrolytes for fuel cell application.: 1.: Synthesis, proton conductivity, and water stability of polyimides from 4,4′-diaminodiphenyl ether-2,2′-disulfonic acid

A sulfonated diamine monomer, 4,4'-diaminodiphenyl ether-2,2'-disulfonic acid (ODADS), was successfully synthesized by direct sulfonation of a commercially available diamine, 4,4'-diaminodiphenyl ether (ODA), using fuming sulfuric acid as the sulfonating reagent. A series of sulfonated polyimides were prepared from 1,4,5,8-naphthalenetetracarboxylic dianhydride (NTDA), ODADS, and common nonsulfonated diamines. The resulting sulfonated polyimides displayed much better stability toward water than those derived from the widely used sulfonated diamine 2,2'-benzidinedisulfonic acid (BDSA). This is because ODADS-based polyimide membranes have a more flexible structure than the corresponding BDSA-based ones. Fenton's reagent test revealed that ODADS-based polyimide membranes also had fair good stability to oxidation. Polyimide membranes with good water stability as well as high proton conductivity were developed. NTDA-ODADS/BAPB(1/1) copolyimide membrane (BAPB refers to 4,4'-bis(4-aminophenoxy)biphenyl)), for example, did not lose mechanical properties after being soaked in water at 80 degreesC for 200 h, while its proton conductivity was still at a high level (comparable to that of Nafion 117).