Proton-Exchange Hybrid Membranes: A Copolymer of Ethylene Glycol Vinyl Glycidyl Ether and Vinyl Chloride/Polyorganylsilsesquioxane

Abstract

Copolymers of ethylene glycol vinyl glycidyl ether (VGE) and vinyl chloride (VC) have been obtained via radical copolymerization of VGE with VC at 70°C in the presence of the initiator azobisisobutyronitrile. By the sol–gel synthesis involving VGE–VC copolymers and carbofunctional organosilicon precursors, such as N,N'-bis(3-triethoxysilylpropyl)thiocarbamide (BTM) and 2-([triethoxysilylpropyl]amino)pyridine (TEAP), hybrid organic–inorganic membranes possessing proton conductivity after doping with orthophosphoric acid have been fabricated. The proton conductivity of the membranes in the temperature range of 30–80°C is characterized by the values of 3.52–4.88 × 10⁻³ S cm⁻¹ for VGE–VC/ BTM/H₃PO₄ and 1.19–2.89 × 10⁻³ S cm⁻¹ for VGE–VC/TEAP/H₃PO₄.