Synthesis of Hybrid Materials Based on MF-4SK Perfluorinated Sulfonated Cation-Exchange Membranes Modified with Polyantimonic Acid and Characterization of Their Proton Conductivity

Abstract

Proton-conducting materials based on the MF-4SK membrane and polyantimonic acid have been synthesized; their dielectric properties and conductivity at varying temperature and relative air humidity have been studied. The introduction of polyantimonic acid particles leads to a significant increase in the proton conductivity of the membranes—from 3.2 × 10^–5 to 2.5 × 10^–4 S/cm—at low humidity. Studies of the proton conductivity as a function of temperature have shown that the doping of the MF-4SK membrane with polyantimonic acid leads to a decrease in the activation energy from 16.8 to 12.9 kJ/mol.