Enhancement of anhydrous proton transport by supramolecular nanochannels in comb polymers
作者:Yangbin Chen、Michael Thorn、Scott Christensen、Craig Versek、Ambata Poe、Ryan C. Hayward、Mark T. Tuominen、S. Thayumanavan
DOI:10.1038/nchem.629
日期:2010.6
Transporting protons is essential in several biological processes as well as in renewable energy devices, such as fuel cells. Although biological systems exhibit precise supramolecular organization of chemical functionalities on the nanoscale to effect highly efficient proton conduction, to achieve similar organization in artificial systems remains a daunting challenge. Here, we are concerned with transporting protons on a micron scale under anhydrous conditions, that is proton transfer unassisted by any solvent, especially water. We report that proton-conducting systems derived from facially amphiphilic polymers that exhibit organized supramolecular assemblies show a dramatic enhancement in anhydrous conductivity relative to analogous materials that lack the capacity for self-organization. We describe the design, synthesis and characterization of these macromolecules, and suggest that nanoscale organization of proton-conducting functionalities is a key consideration in obtaining efficient anhydrous proton transport. Efficient conduction of protons on a micrometre scale is critical for the development of fuel cell membranes â a key component of clean energy sources. Now, self-assembling amphiphilic polymers have been shown to provide a nanoscale organization of proton-conducting functionalities that dramatically increases anhydrous proton conductivity.
传输质子对于多种生物过程以及燃料电池等可再生能源设备至关重要。尽管生物系统在纳米尺度上表现出精确的化学功能超分子组织,以实现高效的质子传导,但在人工系统中实现类似的组织仍然是一项艰巨的挑战。在这里,我们关注的是在无水条件下微米级的质子传输,即无需任何溶剂(尤其是水)辅助的质子转移。我们报告说,由表面两亲性聚合物衍生的质子传导系统表现出有组织的超分子组装体,相对于缺乏自组织能力的类似材料,无水电导率显着增强。我们描述了这些大分子的设计、合成和表征,并提出质子传导功能的纳米级组织是获得有效的无水质子传输的关键考虑因素。微米级质子的高效传导对于燃料电池膜的开发至关重要,燃料电池膜是清洁能源的关键组成部分。现在,自组装两亲聚合物已被证明可以提供质子传导功能的纳米级组织,从而显着提高无水质子的电导率。