# US 2019/0168170 A1 · Anion exchange membrane with hydrophilic moieties

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- Number: US 2019/0168170 A1
- Document ID: US20190168170A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/320,804
- Filed: 2017-07-27
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Earliest claimed: 2016-07-27
- Assignees: University of Tennessee Research Foundation
- Applicants: University of Tennessee Research Foundation
- Inventors: Thomas ZAWODZINSKI; Shane FOISTER
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190168170A1

## CPC

- B01D 69/02: characterised by their properties
- B01D 61/422: {Electrodialysis}
- B01D 67/0006: {by chemical reactions (in-situ polymerisation, polycondensation, cross-linking or reaction for manufacturing composite membranes B01D69/125)}
- H01M 8/0239: Organic resins; Organic polymers
- H01M 50/417: Polyolefins
- H01M 50/46: Separators, membranes or diaphragms characterised by their combination with electrodes
- H01M 50/497: Ionic conductivity
- B01D 2323/30: Cross-linking
- B01D 2325/16: Membrane materials having positively charged functional groups
- B01D 2325/36: Hydrophilic membranes
- B01D 2325/42: Ion-exchange membranes
- B01J 41/12: Macromolecular compounds
- Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries
- Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

An electrochemical device includes an anode, a cathode, and a separator interposed between the anode and cathode. The separator includes an anion conductive membrane having a porous substrate having hydrophilic moieties bonded thereto to increase water availability in a vicinity of ionogenic sites contributing to conductivity of the membrane in a presence of aqueous phases imbibed therein.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An electrochemical device comprising:
an anode;
a cathode; and
a separator interposed between the anode and cathode comprising an anion conductive membrane including a porous substrate having hydrophilic moieties bonded thereto to increase water availability in a vicinity of ionogenic sites contributing to conductivity of the membrane in a presence of aqueous phases imbibed therein.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein the hydrophilic moieties are functionalized with cations.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The electrochemical device of claim 2, wherein the cations are chemically modified to hinder degradation by substitution or elimination reactions.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein the hydrophilic moieties are non-ionic.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein the substrate is polymeric.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The electrochemical device of claim 5 wherein the substrate includes a polymer having polymer fragments represented by the following formula:
and Z is the residue of a nucleophile.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The electrochemical device of claim 6 wherein Z is selected from the group consisting of:
where
o is 1, 2, or 3; n is 1-5; R1, R1′ are each independently H, C1-6 alkyl, or benzyl; and R2, R3, R4 are each independently C1-6 alkyl, C6-10 aryl, C6-10 heteroaryl, CN, halo, NH2, SH, SMe, NO2, or CO2H.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The electrochemical device of claim 5, wherein polymer chains of the substrate are cross-linked.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The electrochemical device of claim 8, wherein polymer chains of the substrate are cross-linked with a linking moiety Y selected from the group consisting of:
and combinations thereof,
R2, R3, R4 are each independently C1-6 alkyl, C6-10 aryl, C6-10 heteroaryl, CN, halo, NH2, SH, SMe, NO2, Or CO2H.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The electrochemical device of claim 9 wherein the substrate includes a polymer having polymer fragments represented by the following formula:
and is a section of a polymeric backbone.

### Claim 11 (depends on 6)

The electrochemical device of claim 6, wherein polymer chains of the substrate are cross-linked by a moiety having the formula:
R5 is a linking group; and
Y1 and Y2 are each independently selected from the group consisting of:
where R2, R3, R4 are each independently C1-6 alkyl, C6-10 aryl, C6-10 heteroaryl, CN, halo, NH2, SH, SMe, NO2, or CO2H.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The electrochemical device of claim 11 wherein the substrate includes a polymer having polymer fragments represented by the following formula:

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The electrochemical device of claim 11 wherein the substrate includes a polymer having polymer fragments represented by the following formula:
wherein Z is the residue of a nucleophile.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The electrochemical device of claim 13 wherein Z is selected from the group consisting of:
o is 1, 2, or 3;
n is 1 to 5; and
R1, R1′ are each independently H, C1-6 alkyl, or benzyl; and
R2, R3, R4 are each independently C1-6 alkyl, C6-10 aryl, C6-10 heteroaryl, CN, halo, NH2, SH, SMe, NO2, or CO2H

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The electrochemical device of claim 1, wherein the substrate is inorganic.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The electrochemical device of claim 1 wherein the water uptake is from 40 to 1500 percent.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The electrochemical device of claim 1 wherein the ion conductivity is from 0.3 to 6 S/cm and the ion exchange capacity is from 0.3 to 1.5 mmol/g.

### Claim 18

An electrochemical device comprising:
an anode;
a cathode; and
a separator interposed between the anode and cathode comprising an anion conductive membrane including a porous cross-linked polymeric substrate having non-ionic hydrophilic moieties bonded thereto to increase water availability in a vicinity of ionogenic sites contributing to conductivity of the membrane in a presence of aqueous phases imbibed therein, the hydrophilic moieties being functionalized with cations that are chemically modified to hinder degradation by substitution or elimination reactions.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The electrochemical device of claim 18, wherein polymer chains of the polymeric substrate are cross-linked with a linking moiety Y selected from the group consisting of:
and combinations thereof,
R2, R3, R4 are each independently C1-6 alkyl, C6-10 aryl, C6-10 heteroaryl, CN, halo, NH2, SH, SMe, NO2, or CO2H.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The electrochemical device of claim 19 wherein the substrate includes a polymer having polymer fragments represented by the following formula:
is a section of a polymeric backbone.

### Claim 21 (depends on 18)

The electrochemical device of claim 18, wherein polymer chains of the substrate are cross-linked by a moiety having the formula:
R5 is a linking group; and
Y1 and Y2 are each independently selected from the group consisting of:
where R2, R3, R4 are each independently C1-6 alkyl, C6-10 aryl, C6-10 heteroaryl, CN, halo, NH2, SH, SMe, NO2, or CO2H.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The electrochemical device of claim 21 wherein the substrate includes a polymer having polymer fragments represented by the following formula:

### Claim 23 (depends on 18)

The electrochemical device of claim 18 wherein the substrate includes a polymer having polymer fragments represented by the following formula:
wherein Z is the residue of a nucleophile.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The electrochemical device of claim 23 wherein Z is selected from the group consisting of:
o is 1, 2, or 3;
n is 1 to 5;
R1, R1′ are each independently H, C1-6 alkyl, or benzyl; and
R2, R3, R4 are each independently C1-6 alkyl, C6-10 aryl, C6-10 heteroaryl, CN, halo, NH2, SH, SMe, NO2, or CO2H