Coughlin, E. Bryan — Page 2

DOE OSTI2020

Ring-opening metathesis polymerization of cobaltocenium derivative to prepare anion exchange membrane with high ionic conductivity

Abstract An efficient method to incorporate a cobaltocenium cation into polymers for anion exchange membranes is described. A cobaltocenium-containing norbornene derivative has been synthesized. It can be homopolymerized, or copolymerized with norbornene, by ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) with quantitative yields. The composition of the random copolymers can be precisely controlled by adjusting the feed ratio of the monomers. Additionally, the resulting polymers can be cast into thin robust membranes. The morphology of the membranes is characterized by humidity controlled SAXS and TEM, showing disordered interconnected cobaltocenium domains. The high ionic conductivity suggests that such membranes are good candidates for anion exchange membranes.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2020

Insights into the Water Transport Mechanism in Polymeric Membranes from Neutron Scattering

Polymeric membranes are ubiquitous in transport applications including gas separation, water desalination, solid-state batteries, and fuel cells. The transport mechanism in certain classes of membranes is well understood. It is generally believed that polymeric membranes used in gas separation follow the solution-diffusion model. However, the transport mechanism in other membranes such as the ones used in water desalination is less clear as both the solution-diffusion and hydrodynamic models have been proposed. In this contribution, we study the structure as well as the water and polymer dynamics of several polymeric membranes using small-angle and quasi-elastic neutron scattering. We demonstrate that on the scale of a few nanometers, water appears to diffuse through a desalination membrane at a rate comparable to bulk water, while water diffuses at a rate that is a factor of 2 slower in an anion-exchange membrane. These results illustrate the importance of studying both the structure and dynamics of membrane materials and have important implications in understanding the transport mechanisms that differentiate the different types of polymeric membranes.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗