Claims
- 1. An ion-exchange polymer membrane comprising a blend of a homogeneously sulfonated poly(phenylene oxide) and poly(vinylidene fluoride), the homogeneously sulfonated poly(phenylene oxide) having a chemical structure characterized by the following recurring unit: ##STR2## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are each selected from the group consisting of H, SO.sub.3 H and SO.sub.3 M; and M is a metal selected from the group consisting of an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal and a transition metal, and n is an integer greater than 40, the homogeneously sulfonated poly(phenylene oxide) having a number average molecular weight between about 15,000 and about 10,000,000 and an ion charge density between about 1 and about 3.9 meq/g, the poly(vinylidene fluoride) having a number average molecular weight between about 10,000 and about 10,000,000, the weight ratio of homogeneously sulfonated poly(phenylene oxide) to poly(vinylidene fluoride) in the blend being between greater than about 1/49 and less than about 19/31.
- 2. The polymer electrolyte membrane of claim 1, wherein in said homogeneously sulfonated poly(phenylene oxide), said alkali metal is Li.sup.+, Na.sup.+ or K.sup.+.
- 3. The polymer electrolyte membrane of claim 1, wherein said homogeneously sulfonated poly(phenylene oxide) has a number average molecular weight between about 30,000 and about 10,000,000.
- 4. The polymer electrolyte membrane of claim 1, wherein said homogeneously sulfonated poly(phenylene oxide) polymer has an ion exchange capacity between about 2 and about 3.5 meq/g.
- 5. The polymer electrolyte membrane of claim 1, wherein said weight ratio is greater than about 1/9 and less than about 7/13.
- 6. In a solid polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell containing an ion-exchange polymer membrane as electrolyte sandwiched between an electrochemically reactive porous anode and cathode, the improvement in which the ion-exchange polymer membrane comprises a blend of a homogeneously sulfonated poly(phenylene oxide) and poly(vinylidene fluoride), the homogeneously sulfonated poly(phenylene oxide) having a chemical structure characterized by the following recurring unit: ##STR3## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are each selected from the group consisting of H, SO.sub.3 H and SO.sub.3 M; and M is a metal selected from the group consisting of an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal and a transition metal, and n is an integer greater than 40, the homogeneously sulfonated poly(phenylene oxide) having a number average molecular weight between about 15,000 and about 10,000,000 and an ion charge density between about 1 and about 3.9 meq/g, the poly(vinylidene fluoride) having a number average molecular weight between about 10,000 and about 10,000,000, the weight ratio of homogeneously sulfonated poly(phenylene oxide) to poly(vinylidene fluoride) in the blend being greater than about 1/49 and less than about 19/31, the fuel cell capable of having a current density between about 1 A/cm.sup.2 and about 2 A/cm.sup.2 at 0.5 V, while using a minimum catalyst loading equivalent to between 0.1 mg/cm.sup.2 and 0.2 mg/cm.sup.2 of platinum on a platinum/carbon polytetrafluoroethylene electrode at 30 psi reactant gases, and a cell a temperature between 45.degree. C. and 85.degree. C.
- 7. The polymer electrolyte fuel cell of claim 6, wherein said homogeneously sulfonated poly(phenylene oxide) has a number average molecular weight between about 30,000 and about 10,000,000.
- 8. The polymer electrolyte fuel cell of claim 6, wherein said homogeneously sulfonated poly(phenylene oxide) polymer has an ion exchange capacity between about 2 and about 3.5 meq/g.
- 9. The polymer electrolyte fuel cell of claim 6, wherein said weight ratio is greater than about 1/9 and less than about 7/13.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 08/725,747, filed Oct. 4, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,989,742, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 08/580,381, filed Dec. 28, 1995, now abandoned.
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Continuation in Parts (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
725747 |
Oct 1996 |
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Parent |
580381 |
Dec 1995 |
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