Composite ion exchange membrane and method of making same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018251616-A1
Application number	US-201815912416-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 5, 2018
Priority date	Mar 3, 2017
Publication date	Sep 6, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

An anion exchange membrane is made by mixing 2 trifluoroMethyl Ketone [nominal] (1.12 g, 4.53 mmol), 1 BiPhenyl (0.70 g, 4.53 mmol), methylene chloride (3.0 mL), trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (TFSA) (3.0 mL) to produce a pre-polymer. The pre-polymer is then functionalized to produce an anion exchange polymer. The pre-polymer may be functionalized with trimethylamamine in solution with water. The pre-polymer may be imbibed into a porous scaffold material, such as expanded polytetrafluoroethylene to produce a composite anion exchange membrane.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of making a composite ion exchange membrane comprising the steps of:
a) providing a porous scaffold material; b) providing a pre-polymer; and c) combining the pre-polymer with the said porous scaffold material and subsequently functionalizing the pre-polymer with a functional polymer to produce said composite ion exchange membrane,
wherein the prepolymer is functionalized into an ion exchange polymer.

2 . The method of making a composite ion exchange membrane of claim 1 , wherein the pre-polymer is prepared by mixing components comprising:
i) 2 trifluoroMethyl Ketone; ii) 1 BiPhenyl; iii) methylene chloride; and iv) trifluoromethanesulfonic acid,
for a mixing time and temperature to produce said pre-polymer.

3 . The method of making a composite ion exchange membrane of claim 1 , wherein the functional polymer is selected from the group consisting of: hydroxide halide and oxyanions.

4 . The method of making an anion exchange membrane of claim 1 , wherein the porous scaffold material comprises polyolefins.

5 . The method of making a composite ion exchange membrane of claim 1 , wherein the scaffold material comprises polyethylene.

6 . The method of making a composite ion exchange membrane of claim 1 , wherein the scaffold material is a porous polyethylene film.

7 . The method of making an ion exchange membrane of claim 1 , wherein the porous scaffold material comprises expanded ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene.

8 . The method of making a composite ion exchange membrane of claim 1 , wherein the scaffold material is expanded polytetrafluoroethylene.

9 . The method of making an ion exchange membrane of claim 8 , wherein the expanded polytetrafluoroethylene membrane is surface modified to render it hydrophilic.

10 . The method of making an ion exchange membrane of claim 8 , The method of making an ion exchange membrane of claim 9 , wherein the surface modification includes treatment with UV light.

11 . The method of making an ion exchange membrane of claim 9 , wherein the surface modification includes treatment with a surfactant.

12 . The method of making an ion exchange membrane of claim 9 , wherein the surface modification includes treatment with an ion exchange medium.

13 . The method of making an ion exchange membrane of claim 1 , wherein the ion exchange polymer is cationic.

14 . The method of making an ion exchange membrane of claim 1 , wherein the ion exchange polymer is anionic.

15 . A composite ion exchange membrane comprising an ion exchange polymer that is combined with a porous scaffold material made from polyethylene.

16 . The composite ion exchange membrane of claim 15 , where in the ion exchange polymer is anionic.

17 . The composite ion exchange membrane of claim 15 , wherein the ion exchange polymer is cationic.

18 . The composite ion exchange membrane of claim 15 , where in the ion exchange membrane is less than 50 microns

19 . The composite ion exchange membrane of claim 15 , where in the ion exchange membrane is less than 25 microns

20 . The composite ion exchange membrane of claim 15 , where in the ion exchange membrane is less than 15 microns

Assignees

• Xergy Inc

Inventors

• Bahar Bamdad
• Li Zhefei

Classifications

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• C08J5/2243

  obtained by introduction of active groups capable of ion-exchange into compounds of the type C08J5/2231 · CPC title

• C08F8/44

  Preparation of metal salts or ammonium salts · CPC title

• C08F8/30

  Introducing nitrogen atoms or nitrogen-containing groups · CPC title

• C08J5/2231

  based on macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions involving unsaturated carbon-to-carbon bonds · CPC title