Abstract
A novel hyper-branched polybenzimidazole (HB-PBI) has been synthesized and efficiently utilized as a conducting polymer for the fabrication of an efficient high temperature fuel cell. The developed fuel cell showed outstanding proton conductivity (0.168 Scm-1 at 150 °C) along with excellent single cell performance, displaying a maximum power density of 0.346 Wcm-2. The HB-PBI has been synthesized by polymerization of bibenzimidazole diterephthalic acid (BBIDTA) and 3,3′-diaminobenzene in the presence of poly phosphoric acid while the BBIDTA was synthesized by treating trimellitic anhydride with 3,3′-diaminobenzene. Both HB-PBI and BBIDTA were structurally characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (1H and 13C NMR). HB-PBI showed high thermal stability and mechanical properties, findings that were corroborated by thermogravimetric analysis and use of a universal testing machine. Additionally, proton conduction and the thermal and mechanical properties of HB-PBI were compared with polybenzene imidazole (m-PBI), and found that HB-PBI has higher proton conducting, thermal and mechanical properties.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 35-41 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Macromolecular Research |
Volume | 21 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2013 Jan |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Chemical Engineering(all)
- Organic Chemistry
- Polymers and Plastics
- Materials Chemistry