High water diffusivity in low hydration plasma-polymerised proton exchange membranes

Abstract

This paper compares proton diffusion through plasma-polymerised proton-exchange membranes (PEMs) produced using traditional wet-chemical methods (Nafion®) and those produced using plasma-polymerisation. Using quasielastic neutron scattering and a simple model of proton motion we find the measured diffusion-rate of protons in the plasma-polymerised material and Nafion® is the same (within 1 standard error) even though the plasma-polymerised membrane has 80% less water than the Nafion®. We attribute this result to the highly cross-linked structure of the plasma-polymerised membrane.