# US 7,411,022 B2 · Reinforced polymer electrolyte membrane

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- Number: US 7,411,022 B2
- Document ID: US7411022B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/829,523
- Filed: 2007-07-27
- Published: 2007-11-15
- Granted: 2008-08-12
- Earliest claimed: 2003-11-13
- Assignees: 3M Innovative Properties Company
- Inventors: Miguel A. Guerra; Michael A. Yandrasits
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7411022B2

## CPC

- C08J 5/2281: {fluorine containing heterogeneous membranes}
- H01M 8/1023: having only carbon, e.g. polyarylenes, polystyrenes or polybutadiene-styrenes
- H01M 8/103: having nitrogen, e.g. sulfonated polybenzimidazoles [S-PBI], polybenzimidazoles with phosphoric acid, sulfonated polyamides [S-PA] or sulfonated polyphosphazenes [S-PPh]
- H01M 8/1039: halogenated, e.g. sulfonated polyvinylidene fluorides
- H01M 8/1072: by chemical reactions, e.g. in situ polymerisation or in situ crosslinking
- C08J 2379/06: Polyhydrazides; Polytriazoles; Polyamino-triazoles; Polyoxadiazoles
- H01M 8/1004: characterised by membrane-electrode assemblies [MEA] (H01M8/12 takes precedence)
- Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells
- Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
- C08J: WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H (working, e.g. shaping, of plastics B29)
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

A method is provided for making a reinforced polymer electrolyte membrane, such as may be used in electrolytic cells such as fuel cells, by mixing a sulfonate- or sulfonyl halide-functional polymer with a bisamidine compound and subsequently trimerizing the amidine groups of the bisamidine compound to form triazine linkages. The sulfonyl halide or sulfonate groups may then be converted to sulfonic acid groups, yielding a polymer electrolyte reinforced with a polytriazine.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A polymer electrolyte membrane comprising an intimate mixture of:
a) a first polymer comprising a fluorinated backbone and first pendant groups which comprise sulfonic acid groups; and
b) a second polymer which is a fluorinated polytriazine.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The polymer electrolyte membrane according to claim 1 wherein said first pendant groups are according to the formula: —R1—SO3H, where R1 is a branched or unbranched perfluoroalkyl or perfluoroether group comprising 1-15 carbon atoms and 0-4 oxygen atoms.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The polymer electrolyte membrane according to claim 1 wherein said first pendant groups are according to the formula: —O—CF2—CF2—CF2—CF2—SO3H.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The polymer electrolyte membrane according to claim 1 wherein said first pendant groups are according to the formula: —O—CF2—CF(CF3)—O—CF2—CF2—SO3H.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The polymer electrolyte membrane according to claim 1 wherein said second polymer comprises trivalent groups according to the formula:
said trivalent groups being linked by divalent groups —R11—, where R11 is a branched or unbranched, partially or fully fluorinated, alkyl or ether group comprising 1-15 carbon atoms and 0-4 oxygen atoms.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The polymer electrolyte membrane according to claim 5 where R11 is a perfluorinated alkyl group comprising 2-8 carbon atoms.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The polymer electrolyte membrane according to claim 5 where R11 is —C4F8—.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The polymer electrolyte membrane according to claim 1 wherein said intimate mixture is embedded in a porous supporting matrix.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The polymer electrolyte membrane according to claim 8 wherein said porous supporting matrix is a porous polytetrafluoroethylene web.