Structural regulation and synergistic reinforcement mechanism of electrospun nanofiber network-enhanced sulfonated poly(aryl ether ketone sulfone)

The composite membranes were fabricated using electrospinning technology. • 1/SPCeS/1 showed the highest proton conductivity (224.27 mS cm −1 at 90 °C). • 1/SPCeS/1 showed good mechanical properties and oxidation stability. In this work, sulfonated poly (arylene ether ketone sulfone) (SPAEKS) polymers were prepared via condensation polymerization, and sulfonated dopamine-modified cerium oxide (SPD@CeO 2 ) nanoparticles were integrated into the polymer matrix. An array of composite membranes was fabricated using electrospinning. The fillers and composite membranes were analyzed through various characterization methods. The obtained 1/SPCeS/1 (with 1 wt% SPD@CeO 2 added to the spinning solution) fiber composite membrane exhibited good performance. With the intrinsic free radical scavenging effect of CeO 2 and the synergistic effect of sulfonated dopamine, the oxidative stability of 1/SPCeS/1 reached 97.65%, the proton conductivity was 224.27 mS cm −1 (90 °C, 100% RH), and the peak power density reached 794.92 mW cm −2 , which were all verified to be superior to the corresponding values of the pure membrane. The results indicated that the combination of functional nanoparticles and electrospinning technology effectively enhanced the overall performance of the proton exchange membrane. This strategy fully aligns with the core principles of green chemistry, namely using low-toxicity raw materials, adopting mild and energy-saving preparation routes, reducing harmful organic solvents, and providing a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional perfluorinated proton exchange membranes. Download: Download high-res image (305KB) Download: Download full-size image