Antimonic acid and sulfonated polystyrene proton-conducting polymeric composites

Polymer composites formed of a proton conductor and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) are prepared. Sulfonated polystyrene (SPS) and antimonic acid (AAc) are used as organic and inorganic proton conductor, respectively. PVDF is the insulating matrix used as a binder to improve the mechanical stability of the composites compared with the pure proton conductors. The effect of the SPS and/or AAc on both the glass transition temperature, Tg, and the melting temperature, Tm, of the PVDF is studied. The ionic conductivity of the composites, after water vapor exposure at r.t., and after water immersion at 50°C, is measured at room temperature. The overall conductivity of the composite increases with time up to saturation, which is attained: (i) after 17 h for the water vapor exposure experiment and (ii) after ≈10 min, for the water immersion experiment. The ionic conductivity of the composites is smaller than that of the pure protonic conductors, but the composites show high-dimensional stability. The shape of the conductivity curve depends on the proton conductor chosen.