Electrochemical properties of cation-exchange membranes made of sulfonate-containing polyphenylquinoxalines

The electrochemical properties of new ion-exchange membranes obtained from polyphenylquinoxalines with sulfonate groups (PPQ-S) are studied. These membranes are shown to have a high specific conductivity in electrolyte solutions (kappa is 10(-5) to 10(-2) Omega(-1) cm(-1)) and high transport numbers of cations with respect to anions ((t) over bar(+) is 0.85 to 0.99). The PPQ-S membranes display selective transport in a series of monovalent cations that is not typical for the known membranes with high electroconductivity parameters. The analysis of electrochemical properties as well as the water absorption data of PPQ-S films enables the structure of ion-conducting paths in the membranes made of this polymer to be suggested.