Process for making semipermeable polymers with ion exchange and ion conductive capabilities on an electrically conductive substrate

• US 5,254,223 A
• Filed: 08/21/1992
• Issued: 10/19/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Karin Potje-Kamloth, Mira Josowicz
• Original Assignee: Karin Potje-Kamloth, Mira Josowicz
• Inventors: Josowicz, Mira, Potje-Kamloth, Karin
• Primary Examiner(s): Niebling, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): IGOE, PATRICK
• Application Number:
  US07/933,490
• Time in Patent Office: 424 Days
• Field of Search: 204/59 R, 204/78, 204/72, 522/20, 522/63, 522/69, 522/151, 522/153, 522/154, 521/25, 521/27, 205/58, 205/167, 205/182, 427/384
• US Class Current: 205/419
• CPC Class Codes: C25B 9/23 comprising ion-exchange membranes in or on which electrode material is embedded
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/40 Semi-permeable membranes or partitions
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/181 with polymeric electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0289 Means for holding the electrolyte solid polymer electrolytes H01M8/1018
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

The process for preparation of semipermeable polymer layers with ion-exchanging and ion-conducting capabilities comprises the steps of making and depositing a polymer layer in situ by electrochemical polymerization on an electrically conductive substrate and subsequently cross-linking, by heating or irradiating. The electrochemically formed polymer layers are built up of poly(oxyphenylene) or poly(naphthylene) chains, in which the aromatic units contain the ion-exchanging and ion-conducting groups. These polymer layers are suitable for use as a semipermeable membrane in an electrode/membrane unit, as a selective layer or as a component of a selective layer of potentiometric and amperometric sensors and as a solid polymer electrolyte in electrochemical cells.

Claims

1. A process for preparation of a semipermeable polymer layer, said polymer layer having a thickness, exhibiting ion-exchanging capability and ion-conducting capability comprising the steps of:

(a) producing said polymer layer from an electrolyte bath by electrochemical polymerization of a OH-containing aromatic monomer, which contains acidic or basic functionalized groups;

(b) depositing in situ said polymer layer on an electrically conducting substrate; and

(c) subsequently self cross-linking said polymer layer by one of heating and irradiating.

2. A process according to claim 1 wherein step a) comprises producing said polymer layer by copolymerization or mixed polymerization of OH-containing aromatic monomer, which contains acidic or basic functionalized groups, with a noncross-linkable OH-containing aromatic monomer.

3. A process according to claim 1 wherein step a) comprises producing said polymer layer by copolymerization or mixed polymerization of OH-containing aromatic monomer, which contains acidic or basic functionalized groups, with a cross-linkable OH-containing aromatic monomer having an unsaturated aliphatic group at an ortho-position thereof.

4. A process according to claim 1 wherein said OH-containing aromatic monomer is selected from the groups of phenols or of naphthols.

5. A process according to claim 1 wherein said monomer has an aromatic OH-containing group containing acidic functionalized groups at the ortho-, meta- or para-position thereof.

6. A process according to claim 1 wherein said acidic functionalized groups are carboxy, sulfonic, phosphinic or phosphonic groups.

7. A process according to any of claims 1, 2, 3, or 4 wherein said monomer has an aromatic OH-containing group containing basic functionalized groups at an ortho-, meta- or para-position thereof.

8. A process according to claim 1 wherein said basic functionalized groups are primary, secondary, tertiary amines, or quaternary ammonium compounds containing the same or different aliphatic groups having 1 to 4 carbon atoms.

9. A process according to claim 1 further comprising linking said basic functionalized groups to said OH-containing aromatic monomer by an aliphatic alkylene chain having 1 to 5 carbon atoms.

10. A process according to claim 1 wherein said noncross-linkable monomer has an OH-containing aromatic group containing at least one aliphatic group having 2 to 7 carbon atoms.

11. A process according to claim 1 wherein said cross-linkable monomer has an OH-containing aromatic group containing at least one unsaturated aliphatic group having 2 to 7 carbon atoms.

12. A process according to claim 1 further comprising connecting said electrically conducting substrate as an anode during the electrochemical preparation and deposition of said polymer layer.

13. A process according to claim 1 further comprising controlling the thickness of the polymer layer by controlling the charge, which is consumed during the electrochemical polymerization.

14. A process according to claim 1 wherein said polymer thickness is in the range of 50 nanometers to 500 micrometers.

15. A process according to claim 1 wherein said electrolyte bath contains an adherence promoting agent.

16. A process according to claim 1 further comprising performing said cross-linking of said polymer layer by heating or by irradiating.