Effect of counter- and co-ions on the structural transport parameters of sulfoacid cationite membranes

Abstract

The diffusion permeability and specific electroconductivity of MK-40 sulfoacid cationite and Nafion 425 membranes are studied experimentally in NaOH, NaCl, and HCl solutions with various concentrations. The resulting concentration dependences of the electrodiffusion characteristics and data on the nonexchange sorption of the electrolytes are used to calculate the structural transport parameters of the membranes in terms of a two-phase conduction model. Analysis of a set of parameters, including the electroconductivity and diffusion permeability of the membrane gel phase, the volume fractions of the conductive phases, and a parameter that reflects their relative positions, the Donnan constant, and the diffusion coefficients of counter and co-ions in the membrane gel phase reveals the effect the nature of counter- and co-ions has on the electrodiffusion, structural, and sorption characteristics of sulfoacid cationite membranes with different types of structure.