Release layer for preparation of ion-conducting membranes
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsRobert D. Miller, Young-Hye Na, Sogol Teschler, Khanh Nguyen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method includes applying to a substrate a solution including a polymeric compound to form a release layer on the substrate; applying ion-conducting elements on the release layer; applying a matrix polymer on the release layer, wherein the matrix polymer surrounds at least some of the ion-conducting elements; and removing the release layer to separate the matrix polymer from the substrate such that the ion-conducting elements remain embedded in a carrier layer of the matrix polymer and form an ion-conducting membrane.
Claims11
An article comprising:
- a substrate;
- a release layer on the substrate, wherein the release layer is non-adhesive and comprises a polymeric compound selected from the group consisting of poly(dimethyl glutarimide) (PMGI), poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA), poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc), or poly(ethylene amine) (PEI), and combinations thereof;
- a plurality of ion-conducting elements embedded in the release layer, wherein a first surface of at least a portion of the ion-conducting elements extends above the release layer;
- and
- a matrix polymer on the release layer, wherein the matrix polymer surrounds at least a portion of the ion-conducting elements, and wherein the matrix polymer is selected from the group consisting of a ring opening metathesis polymer (ROMP), a hydrogenated cyclo-olefin polymer (COP), a cyclo-olefin copolymer (COC), and combinations thereof.
A method, comprising:
- anchoring ion-conducting particles in a release layer, wherein the release layer is polymeric, non-adhesive, and supported on a substrate;
- at least partially curing the release layer;
- applying a polymeric matrix on the release layer and the ion-conducting particles;
- removing overburden of the polymeric matrix, thereby exposing an upper surface of at least some of the ion conducting particles;
- and
- removing the release layer, thereby:
- (i) exposing a bottom surface of the ion-conducting particles, the bottom surface being opposite to the upper surface, and
- (ii) separating an ion-conducting membrane from the substrate, wherein the membrane comprises an arrangement of ion conducting particles embedded in a carrier layer of the polymeric matrix, and wherein the exposed upper and lower surfaces of the ion conducting particles represent at least 50% of the total particle surface area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.