New Polymer Materials on the Basis of Functionalized Ionic Liquids for Application in Membranes

• Applicants: Professor Dr. Friedrich Kremer; Professorin Dr. Veronika Strehmel
• Subject Area: Preparatory and Physical Chemistry of Polymers
• Term: from 2014 to 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 257900614

The project focuses on synthesis of functionalized ionic liquids bearing one or two polymerizable functional groups, their polymerization, investigation of both the ionic liquids and the polymers made of them by broad-band dielectric spectroscopy, and investigation of applicability of these polymers as membranes for both gas separation and fuel cells. Homopolymers with either cationic or anionic segments and copolymers with both cationic and anionic segments as well as crosslinked ionic polymers are synthesized and characterized using spectroscopic and thermoanalytical methods. Thermal and UV-Vis induced polymerizations are used for polymer synthesis. Dynamics of the polymer chains and their interaction with gas molecules are highly important for application of the polymers as gas separating membranes. Furthermore, mobility and conductivity investigations on the polymers focus on their application as membranes for fuel cells. The properties of the polymers made and the results obtained by broad-band dielectric spectroscopy are the basis for polymer selection for application tests. Furthermore, results obtained during the application tests are a mutual basis for synthesis of further polymers.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants (Transfer Project)
• Participating Institution: Merck KGaA; Performance Materials Advanced Technologies Emerging Businesses Energy; (PM-ABE)