Issue 9, 2012

Proton-conducting electrolyte film of double-decker-shaped polyhedral silsesquioxane containing covalently bonded phosphonic acid groups

Abstract

As described in this paper, phosphonic-acid-containing double-decker-shaped polyhedral silsesquioxane (PHOS-DDSQ) was synthesized and the proton conductivity of the PHOS-DDSQ cast film was studied under humid and non-humid conditions. To synthesize PHOS-DDSQ, double-decker-shaped polyhedral silsesquioxane (DDSQ) was initially reacted with di(ethylene glycol) (DEG) vinyl ether using hydrosilylation reaction to attach four DEG units to one DDSQ (4DEG-DDSQ). Subsequently, a phosphate esterification of hydroxyl groups in 4DEG-DDSQ was carried out using POCl3. NMR, XPS, and MALDI-TOF MS spectra and titration measurements revealed that the phosphate esterification connected two DEG units to form a crown-ether-like structure. This structure prevents hydrolysis of the phosphate ester bond. PHOS-DDSQ showed high thermal stability, with decomposition temperature exceeding 220 °C, because of its inorganic DDSQ core. A uniform film of PHOS-DDSQ can be fabricated by drop casting. The cast film showed high proton conductivity (0.12 S cm−1) under humid conditions, which is comparable to that of a Nafion® membrane. Moreover, the cast film offered good proton conductivity under non-humid conditions (3.6 × 10−4 S cm−1 at 170 °C). The conductivity and thermal stability indicate that PHOS-DDSQ is a good candidate for use as a proton-conductive membrane in hydrated type fuel cells as well as fuel cells operated at intermediate temperatures (100–200 °C) under non-humid conditions.

Graphical abstract: Proton-conducting electrolyte film of double-decker-shaped polyhedral silsesquioxane containing covalently bonded phosphonic acid groups

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
10 Nov 2011
Accepted
16 Dec 2011
First published
23 Jan 2012

J. Mater. Chem., 2012,22, 3853-3858

Proton-conducting electrolyte film of double-decker-shaped polyhedral silsesquioxane containing covalently bonded phosphonic acid groups

A. C. Kucuk, J. Matsui and T. Miyashita, J. Mater. Chem., 2012, 22, 3853 DOI: 10.1039/C2JM15779A

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