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US 8,465,857 B2Granted
Proton exchange membranes (PEM) based on hybrid inorganic-organic copolymers with grafted phosphoric acid groups and implanted metal cations
AssigneeToyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
InventorsWen Li, Siwen Li, Meilin Liu
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Abstract
A proton exchange membrane comprises a hybrid inorganic-organic polymer that includes implanted metal cations. Acid groups are bound to the hybrid inorganic-organic polymer through an interaction with the implanted metal cations. An example process for manufacturing a proton exchange membrane includes sol-gel polymerization of silane precursors in a medium containing the metal cations, followed by exposure of the metal-implanted hybrid inorganic-organic polymer to an acid compound.
Claims15
A process for making a proton-exchange membrane, the process comprising:
- forming a metal-implanted hybrid inorganic-organic polymer through a sol-gel polymerization of one or more silane precursors in a medium containing metal cations,
- the metal-implanted hybrid inorganic-organic polymer having an inorganic portion comprising silicon, oxygen, and implanted metal cations;
- and
- exposing the metal-implanted hybrid inorganic-organic polymer to an acid compound, so as to form the proton-exchange membrane,
- the acid compound directly attaching to the metal-implanted hybrid inorganic-organic polymer through an interaction between the acid compound and the implanted metal cations,
- the acid compound being selected from a group of compounds consisting of free mineral acids and organic acids,
- the interaction between the implanted metal cations and the acid compound having an electron withdrawing effect on the acid compound, so as to increase proton mobility within the proton-exchange membrane.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.