The State University of New York

Porogen Corporation

Youxin Yuan

Israel Cabasso

Yong Ding

Cortney Mittelsteadt

Xiao Xu

Frederick E Johnson

Functionalized porous poly(aryl ether ketone) articles are prepared by reacting ketone groups in the backbone of poly(aryl ether ketone) polymer with a primary amine reagent. Preferred functional primary amines are primary aliphatic amines or substituted hydrazines containing one or more target functional groups including polar groups, such as hydroxyl groups, &#x2dc;OH, amino groups, &#x2dc;NH, &#x2dc;NHR, &#x2dc;NRR', and ethylene oxide groups, &#x2dc;OCHCH&#x2014;, negatively or positively charged ionic groups, such as &#x2dc;SO, &#x2dc;COO, and &#x2dc;NHgroups, hydrophobic groups such as siloxane or perfluorcarbone groups, and non-polar groups, such as linear or branched hydrocarbon groups. The functionalized porous poly(aryl ether ketone) article can be prepared by reacting primary amine with a pre-formed, shaped porous poly(aryl ether ketone) article or by functionalizing the surface of a non-porous precursor article that is subsequently converted into a porous article.

Functionalized porous poly(aryl ether ketone) materials and their use

The preparation and use of novel porous poly(aryl ether) articles is disclosed. The porous articles are prepared from blends of poly(aryl ether) polymers with polyimides by selectively decomposing the polyimide phase. The preferred reagents used to decompose the polyimide phase include monoethanolamine and tetramethylammonium hydroxide. The porous articles can be configured as a single layer or as a multilayer article. The porous articles of the present invention are unique that at least one of the layers exhibits a narrow pore size distribution. The articles of the present invention can be used as a porous media for a broad range of applications, including porous membranes for fluid separations, such as microfiltration, ultrafiltration, and gas separation, as a battery separators, and as a sorption media.

Preparation of porous poly(aryl ether) articles and use thereof

The invention relates to a modified polybenzimidazole (PBI), membranes that are fabricated from these polymers, and their use in electrochemical applications. These membranes have high ionic conductivity and are suitable for solid polymer electrolytes in electrochemical applications, especially for high temperature polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells.

Modified polybenzimidazole (PBI) membranes for enhanced polymer electrochemical cells

Porous poly(aryl ether ketone) (PAEK) articles are prepared from PAEK/polyimide blends by selective chemical decomposition and subsequent removal of the polyimide phase. Porous PAEK articles exhibit highly interconnected pore structure and a narrow pore size distribution. The porous PAEK articles of the present invention can be utilized as a porous media for a broad range of applications, including membranes for fluid separations, such as microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, and as a sorption media.

Porous poly(aryl ether ketone) membranes, processes for their preparation and use thereof

Solid polymer membranes comprised of a high charge density sulfonated poly (phenylene oxide) blended with poly(vinylidene fluoride) in varied ratios have improved membrane characteristics. These membranes are inexpensive and possess very high ionic conductivity, and thus are suitable for solid polymer electrolytes in electrochemical applications, especially for the polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell, the electrolyte double-layer capacitor, and the rechargeable zinc-halide cell. These membranes enhance the performance of these devices.

Blend membranes based on sulfonated poly(phenylene oxide) for polymer

Solid polymer membranes comprised of a high charge density sulfonated poly (phenylene oxide) blended with poly(vinylidene fluoride) in varied ratios have improved membrane characteristics. These membranes possess very high ionic conductivity, are inexpensive and suitable for solid polymer electrolytes in electrochemical applications, especially for the polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell. PEM fuel cell assemblies with this membrane have enhanced performance.

Blend membranes based on sulfonated poly(phenylene oxide) for enhanced

All electrocatalytic gas diffusion electrode for fuel cells and a process for its preparation is disclosed. The electrode comprises an anistropic gas diffusion layer and a catalytic layer. The gas diffusion layer is made of a porous carbon matrix through which carbon particles and poly(vinylidene) fluoride are distributed so that the matrix is homogeneously porous in a direction lateral to gas flow and asymmetrically porous to gases in the direction of the gas flow. The porosity of the gas diffusion layer decreases in the direction of gas flow. The catalytic layer is made of a coagulated ink suspension containing catalytic carbon particles and a thermoplastic polymer selected from polyethersulfone, poly(vinylidene fluoride) and sulfonated polysulfone and covers the small pore surface of the gas diffusion layer. The gas diffusion layer has a thickness between 50 .mu.m and 300 .mu.m. The catalytic layer has thickness between 7 .mu.m and 50 .mu.m and a metal catalyst loading between 0.2 mg/cm.sup.2 and 0.5 mg/cm.sup.2.

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Syracuse, NY, United States of America

Youxin Yuan