Synthesis of polymer nanocomposite ion-exchange membranes from sulfonated polystyrene and study of their properties

Methods for the preparation of composite ion-exchange membranes from polymer (polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), and polypropylene (PP)) matrices were considered. Polystyrene (PS) was introduced in the matrices by thermal polymerization of the monomer followed by sulfonation of the implant. The fundamentals of membrane synthesis from industrial polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE, Teflon F-4) films by thermal polymerization of styrene in a film stretched in a monomer solution followed by sulfonation of incorporated PS were described. The literature on radiation- chemical synthesis of composite ion-exchange membranes based on polymer matrices with embedded polystyrene and its subsequent sulfonation was analyzed. Some problems of the kinetics and mechanism of thermal implantation of PS into various polymer matrices under different conditions were discussed. The physicochemical characteristics, structure, and transport properties of the membranes synthesized by thermal implantation of PS were reported. The obtained membranes were tested in low-temperature fuel cells.