Comparison of the water uptake and swelling between sulfonated poly(phthalazinone ether ketone ketone)s and sulfonated poly(arylene ether ketone ketone)s

Sulfonated poly(phthalazinone ether ketone ketone)s (sPPEKK) and sulfonated poly(arylene ether ketone ketone sulfone)s (sPAEKK) were successfully synthesized by direct polycondensation. The water uptake and swelling of sPPEKK are much less compared with those of sPAEKK, especially in high temperature, which result from the powerful intermolecular hydrogen bonds of sPAEKK, confirmed by variable temperature IR spectra. The maximum operation temperature of proton exchange membranes made of sPPEKK is higher than 80 °C, improving the property of resistance to swelling.