Previous work in the group characterized a precise ionomer with a sulfonated phenyl group on every 5th carbon as a Nafion-comparable proton conductor. This work shows that customizing the extent of sulfonation can tune properties, most importantly proton conductivity. Please follow the link below to learn more about how the Winey group is contributing valuable fundamental knowledge on the structure and water-uptake capabilities of these proton-conducting polymers and their relevance to sustainable energy efforts as a fluorine-free proton exchange membrane for electrochemical devices. And we are excited that Victoria Lee, an undergraduate in the group is second author of the paper.
Our paper titled “Effect of Sulfonation Level on the Percolated Morphology and Proton Conductivity of Hydrated Fluorine-Free Copolymers: Experiments and Simulations” was published in JACS Au.
