Methods of producing cross-linked polymer electrolyte membranes having free-radical scavengers

1. A method of preparing a crosslinked polymer having increased chemical durability, the method comprising:

polymerizing, using an initiator with light irradiation or heat treatment, a styrenated crosslinkable monomer having the following linear chain formula CH 2 ═CH—C 6 H 4 —CH 2 —O—(CX 2 ) n —O—CH 2 —C 6 H 4 —CH═CH 2 , wherein X=F and n=6-14 or X=H and n=6-18, with a styrene-based comonomer having the formula CH 2 ═CH—C 6 H 4 —Y, wherein Y=SO 3 H + or R f —SO 3 H + , with R f =—(CF 2 ) m —O—CF 2 CF 2 — and m=2-7, and a free-radical scavenger CH 2 ═CH—C 6 H 4 —Z, wherein Z=OH or NH 2 , and the crosslinked polymer has the following Structure A:

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the free-radical scavenger is 4-hydroxy styrene added at 1-2 wt. %.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the free-radical scavenger is 4-vinylaniline added at 1-2 wt. %.

4. A method of preparing a crosslinked polymer comprising:

polymerizing using an initiator with light irradiation or heat a straight chain styrenated crosslinkable monomer with a styrene-based comonomer having the formula CH 2 ═CH—C 6 H 4 —Y and 1-2 wt % of a free-radical scavenger selected from one of 4-hydroxy styrene and 4-vinylaniline, the free-radical scavenger configured to neutralize radicals OH. and OOH., wherein the styrenated crosslinkable monomer has the following linear chain formula CH 2 ═CH—C 6 H 4 —CH 2 —O—(CX 2 ) n —O—CH 2 —C 6 H 4 —CH═CH 2 , wherein X=F and n=6-14 or X=H and n=6-18 and the crosslinked polymer has the following Structure A:

wherein Y=SO 3 H + or R f —SO 3 H + , with R f =—(CF 2 ) m —O—CF 2 CF 2 and m=2-7.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

fluorinating the crosslinked polymer with elemental fluorine gas to convert hydrogen into fluorine, the crosslinked polymer produced having the following formula:

wherein X=F and n=6-14 or X=H and n=6-18, Y=SO 3 H + or R f —SO 3 H + , with R f =—(CF 2 ) m —O—CF 2 CF 2 — and m=2-7, and Z=OH or NH 2 .

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the styrene-based comonomer is a styrene sulfonic acid comonomer having the formula CH 2 ═CH—C 6 H 4 —SO 3 H + and the crosslinked polymer produced has Structure A, wherein X=F and n=6-14 or X=H and n=6-18, Y=SO 3 H + and Z=OH or NH 2 as the free-radical scavenger.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the styrene-based comonomer is a styrene sulfonate-sodium comonomer having the formula CH 2 ═CH—C 6 H 4 —SO 3 Na + , with polymerizing resulting in intermediate structure B:

the method further comprising:

performing ion exchange with an acid solution and the intermediate structure B to produce the crosslinked polymer with Structure A wherein X=F and n=6-14 or X=H and n=6-18, Y=SO 3 H + and Z=OH or NH 2 as the free-radical scavenger.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the styrene-based comonomer is a styrene sulfonyl halide comonomer having one of the formulas CH 2 ═CH—C 6 H 4 —SO 2 Cl and CH 2 ═CH—C 6 H 4 —SO 2 F, with polymerizing resulting in intermediate structure C:

the method further comprising:

hydrolyzing the intermediate Structure C with a basic solution; and

performing ion exchange with an acid solution to produce the crosslinked polymer with Structure A, wherein X=F and n=6-14 or X=H and n=6-18, Y=SO 3 H + and Z=OH or NH 2 as the free-radical scavenger.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the styrene-based comonomer is 4-bromo styrene comonomer having the formula CH 2 ═CH—C 6 H 4 —Br, with polymerizing resulting in intermediate structure D:

the method further comprising:

reacting the intermediate Structure D with I—(CF 2 ) m —O—CF 2 —CF 2 —SO 2 F, where m=2-7, under heat and in the presence of copper or copper oxide catalyst to produce a second intermediate Structure E:

the method further comprising:

hydrolyzing the second intermediate Structure E with a basic solution; and

performing ion exchange with an acid solution to produce the crosslinked polymer with Structure A, wherein X=F and n=6-14 or X=H and n=6-18, Y=R f —SO 3 H + , with R f =—(CF 2 ) m —O—CF 2 CF 2 — and m=2-7, and Z=NH 2 as the free-radical scavenger.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the styrene-based comonomer is 4-hydroxy styrene comonomer having the formula CH 2 ═CH—C 6 H 4 —OH, with polymerizing resulting in intermediate structure F:

the method further comprising:

reacting the intermediate Structure F with I—(CF 2 ) m —O—CF 2 —CF 2 —SO 2 F, where m=2-7, under heat and in the presence of copper or copper oxide catalyst to produce a second intermediate Structure G:

the method further comprising:

hydrolyzing the second intermediate Structure G with a basic solution; and

performing ion exchange with an acid solution to produce the crosslinked polymer with Structure A, wherein X=F and n=6-14 or X=H and n=6-18, Y=R f —SO 3 H + , with R f =—(CF 2 ) m —O—CF 2 CF 2 — and m=2-7, and Z=NH 2 as the free-radical scavenger.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the styrenated crosslinkable monomer has the formula CH 2 ═CH—C 6 H 4 —CH 2 —O—(CF 2 ) n —O—CH 2 —C 6 H 4 —CH═CH 2 , n=6-14, the method further comprising, as initial steps:

producing the styrenated crosslinkable monomer by functionalizing a linear chain diol with styrene, the linear chain diol having the formula OH—CH 2 —(CF 2 ) n —CH 2 —OH, wherein n=6-14.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the styrenated crosslinkable monomer has the formula CH 2 ═CH—C 6 H 4 —CH 2 —O—(CH 2 ) n —O—CH 2 —C 6 H 4 —CH═CH 2 , n=6-18, the method further comprising, as initial steps:

producing the styrenated crosslinkable monomer by functionalizing a linear chain diol with styrene, the linear chain diol having the formula OH—CH 2 —(CH 2 ) n —CH 2 —OH, wherein n=6-18.

13. A method of preparing a crosslinked polymer having increased chemical durability, the method comprising:

polymerizing, using an initiator with light irradiation or heat treatment, a styrenated crosslinkable monomer with a styrene-based comonomer having the formula CH 2 ═CH—C 6 H 4 —X and a free-radical scavenger, wherein the styrenated crosslinkable monomer has the following linear chain formula CH 2 ═CH—C 6 H 4 —CH 2 —(OCH 2 CH 2 ) n —O—CH 2 —C 6 H 4 —CH═CH 2 , wherein n is obtained by a molecular weight of the styrenated crosslinkable monomer, which is a styrenated polyethylene glycol having a molecular weight between 200 and 35,000 g/mol or a styrenated polyethylene oxide having a molecular weight between 100,000 and 800,000 g/mol, and the crosslinked polymer has the following Structure M, wherein X=SO 3 H + or R f —SO 3 H + , with R f =—(CF 2 ) m —O—CF 2 CF 2 — and m=2-7, and Z=OH or NH 2 :

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the styrene-based comonomer is a styrene sulfonic acid comonomer having the formula CH 2 ═CH—C 6 H 4 —SO 3 H + and the crosslinked polymer produced has Structure M, wherein X=SO 3 H + and Z=OH or NH 2 as the free-radical scavenger.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the styrene-based comonomer is a styrene sulfonate-sodium comonomer having the formula CH 2 ═CH—C 6 H 4 —SO 3 Na + , with polymerizing resulting in intermediate structure N:

the method further comprising:

performing ion exchange with an acid solution and the intermediate structure N to produce the crosslinked polymer with Structure M wherein X=SO 3 H + and Z=OH or NH 2 as the free-radical scavenger.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the styrene-based comonomer is a styrene sulfonyl halide comonomer having one of the formulas CH 2 ═CH—C 6 H 4 —SO 2 Cl and CH 2 ═CH—C 6 H 4 —SO 2 F, with polymerizing resulting in intermediate structure O:

the method further comprising:

hydrolyzing the intermediate structure O with a basic solution; and

performing ion exchange with an acid solution to produce the crosslinked polymer with Structure M, wherein X=SO 3 H + and Z=OH or NH 2 as the free-radical scavenger.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the styrene-based comonomer is 4-bromo styrene comonomer having the formula CH 2 ═CH—C 6 H 4 —Br, with polymerizing resulting in intermediate structure P:

the method further comprising:

reacting the intermediate Structure P with I—(CF 2 ) m —O—CF 2 —CF 2 —SO 2 F, where m=2-7, under heat and in the presence of copper or copper oxide catalyst to produce a second intermediate Structure Q:

the method further comprising:

hydrolyzing the second intermediate Structure Q with a basic solution; and

performing ion exchange with an acid solution to produce the crosslinked polymer with Structure M, wherein X=R f —SO 3 H + , with R f =—(CF 2 ) m —O—CF 2 CF 2 — and m=2-7, and Z=NH 2 as the free-radical scavenger.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the styrene-based comonomer is 4-hydroxy styrene comonomer having the formula CH 2 ═CH—C 6 H 4 —OH, with polymerizing resulting in intermediate structure R:

the method further comprising:

reacting the intermediate Structure R with I—(CF 2 ) m —O—CF 2 —CF 2 —SO 2 F, where m=2-7, under heat and in the presence of copper or copper oxide catalyst to produce a second intermediate Structure S:

the method further comprising:

hydrolyzing the second intermediate Structure S with a basic solution; and

performing ion exchange with an acid solution to produce the crosslinked polymer with Structure M, wherein X=R f —SO 3 H + , with R f =—(CF 2 ) m —O—CF 2 CF 2 — and m=2-7, and Z=NH 2 as the free-radical scavenger.

19. A method of making a polymer electrolyte membrane comprising:

imbibing a porous support with the crosslinked polymer of according to claim 1 .