Hydrophilic-hydrophobic multiblock copolymers based on poly(arylene ether sulfone)s as novel proton exchange membranes - Part B

There has been growing evidence, both experimental and theoretical, that block copolymer systems with well-defined sulfonated regions may provide enhanced proton transport, especially at low relative humidity. We have recently demonstrated a novel way to make hydrocarbon hydrophobic-hydrophilic block copolymers. While the chemical structure and chemical compositions are very similar to random copolymers, the microstructure and the morphology are very different. The self-diffusion coefficients of water, as measured by Pulse Gradient Stimulated Echo (PGSE) NMR techniques, have indicated a significant improvement in water transport after reaching a particular block length. At that block length (10 kg/mol:10 kg/mol), the multiblocks display better proton conductivity under partially hydrated conditions than the random copolymers. The presence of increased free water content in the multiblocks with increasing block lengths was confirmed by states of water analysis. A significant change in the distribution of three types of water was also observed compared to the random copolymers. This paper will discuss the structure-property relationships of these multiblock copolymers for potential application as proton exchange membranes.     

Synthesis of highly sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone)s with sulfonated triptycene pendants for proton exchange membranes

A series of poly(aryl ether sulfone)s containing triptycene groups PES-x-TPD (x refers to molar percentage of TPD) were firstly synthesized through nucleophilic aromatic substitution polycondensation by using 2,5-triptycenediol (TPD), bis(4-hydroxyphenyl) sulfone (BHPS) and 4,4′-difluorodiphenyl sulfone (DFDPS). The sulfonation of copolymers was conducted at room temperature by using a mild sulfonating reagent (98% H₂SO₄), and the degree of sulfonation was readily and accurately controlled by adjusting the ratio of TPD and BHPS. The structures of PES-x-TPD and SPES-x-TPD were characterized by IR, ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR spectra. These ionomers generally showed high thermal stability and mechanical strength at low humidity regardless of high IEC value. Meanwhile, it is noteworthy that these novel SPES-x-TPD membranes with high IEC value achieved high proton conductivity in a wide range of humidity at 80 °C. For example, SPES-60-TPD with the highest IEC value 2.86 mmol/g displays the conductivity of 2.5 × 10⁻¹ S/cm which is much higher than that of the perfluorinated Nafion membrane (1.1 × 10⁻¹ S/cm) at 80 °C and 94% RH. At 80 °C and 34% RH, SPES-60-TPD displays the conductivity of 4.5 × 10⁻³ S/cm which is also higher than that of the Nafion membrane (3.0 × 10⁻³ S/cm). Microscopic analyses revealed that well-de?ned phase separated structures and uniform ionic pathway was formed for SPES-45-TPD membrane with the IEC of 2.29 mmol/g. Moreover, a H₂/O₂ fuel cell using the SPES-55-TPD (IEC = 2.68 mmol/g) also showed better performance than that of Nafion 117 at 40 °C and 30% RH.     

Partially sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone)-b-polybutadiene for proton exchange membrane

A novel block copolymer based on poly(arylene ether sulfone)-b-polybutadiene (SPAES-b-PB) was synthesized and its flexible segment was sulfonated by electrophilic addition reaction with acetyl sulfate. This could be a new approach to prepare suitable alternative proton exchange membranes to Nafion^®. Only a single glass transition temperature (T_g) of copolymer measured by differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) indicated good compatibility between PAES block and PB block. A tough and transparent membrane based on SPAES-b-PB exhibited higher proton conductivity (0.0302 S/cm at 25 °C and 100% relative humidity) even with relatively low ion exchange capacity (IEC) of 0.624 mmol/g compared to other sulfonated block copolymer membranes such as sulfonated polystyrene-b-poly(ethylene-ran-butylene)-b-polystyrene (SSEBS), sulfonated poly(styrene-isobutylene-styrene) (S-SIBS), sulfonated hydrogenated poly-butadiene-styrene copolymer (HPBS-SH) as a result of selected sulfonation of the flexible segments facilitating sulfonated groups to aggregate to form ion-rich channels.     

Multiblock poly(arylene ether nitrile) disulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) copolymers for proton exchange membranes: Part 1 synthesis and characterization

A series of multiblock copolymers based upon alternating segments of a hydrophilic disulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) and a hydrophobic fluorine-terminated poly(arylene ether benzonitrile) (6FPAEB) were synthesized and characterized for use as proton exchange membranes (PEM). The ion-exchange capacity of the block copolymers were varied by utilizing 4,4′-biphenol or hydroquinone in combination with 3,3′-disulfonated-4,4′-dichlorodiphenyl sulfone (SDCDPS) to form the hydrophilic segments. The alternating block copolymer morphology was achieved by using mild temperatures to link the oligomers together and minimize ether–ether interchange reactions. Both the 4,4′-biphenol and hydroquinone based membranes showed high proton conductivity with moderate water uptake and good mechanical properties. The block copolymers displayed nanophase separated morphologies, confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS). The strong membrane performance was attributed to the multi-phase morphology.     

Processing induced morphological development in hydrated sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) copolymer membranes

The development of morphological solid-state structures in sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) copolymers (acid form) by hydrothermal treatment was investigated by water uptake, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and tapping mode atomic force microscopy (TM-AFM). The water uptake and DMA studies suggested that the materials have three irreversible morphological regimes, whose intervals are controlled by copolymer composition and hydrothermal treatment temperature. Ambient temperature treatment of the membranes afforded a structure denoted as Regime1. When the copolymer membranes were exposed to a higher temperature, AFM revealed a morphology (Regime2) where the phase contrast and domain connectivity of the hydrophilic phase of the copolymers were greatly increased. A yet higher treatment temperature was defined which yielded a third regime, likely related to viscoelastic relaxations associated with the hydrated glass transition temperature (hydrated T_g). The required temperatures needed to produce transitions from Regime1 to Regime2 or Regime3 decreased with increasing degree of disulfonation. These temperatures correspond to the percolation and hydrogel temperatures, respectively. Poly(arylene ether sulfone) copolymer membranes with a 40% disulfonation in Regime2 under fully hydrated conditions showed similar proton conductivity (∼0.1 S/cm) to the well-known perfluorinated copolymer Nafion^® 1135 but exhibited higher modulus and water uptake. The proton conductivity and storage modulus are discussed in terms of each of the morphological regimes and compared with Nafion 1135. The results are of particular interest for either hydrogen or direct methanol fuel cells where conductivity and membrane permeability are critical issues.     

Multiblock sulfonated-fluorinated poly(arylene ether)s for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell

New proton exchange membranes were prepared and evaluated as polymer electrolytes for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). Sulfonated-fluorinated poly(arylene ether) multiblocks (MBs) were synthesized by nucleophilic aromatic substitution of highly activated fluorine terminated telechelics made from decafluorobiphenyl with 4,4′-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)diphenol and hydroxyl-terminated telechelics made from 4,4′-biphenol and 3,3′-disulfonated-4,4′-dichlorodiphenylsulfone. Membranes with various sulfonation levels were successfully cast from N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone. An increase sulfonated block size in the copolymer resulted in enhanced membrane ion exchange capacity and proton conductivity. The morphological structure of MB copolymers was investigated by tapping mode atomic force microscopy (TM-AFM) and compared with those of Nafion^® and sulfonated poly(arylene ether) random copolymers. AFM images of MBs revealed a very well defined phase separation, which may explain their higher proton conductivities compared to the random copolymers. The results are of particular interest for hydrogen/air fuel cells where conductivity at high temperature and low relative humidity is a critical issue.     

Effects of block length and solution-casting conditions on the final morphology and properties of disulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) multiblock copolymer films for proton exchange membranes

The effects of block length and solution-casting conditions on the final microstructures and properties of disulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) multiblock copolymer (BPSH100-BPS0) films for proton exchange membranes were investigated based on the basic principles of microstructure formation of block copolymers. Morphological studies using transmission electron microscopy and small angle X-ray scattering demonstrated that as the block length increased, the inter-ionic-domain distance increased, with a subsequent increase in lamellar ordering and long-range continuity. Further enhancement in morphological order was achieved by simply utilizing a selective solvent, dimethylacetamide, which is good and marginal for the sulfonated and unsulfonated blocks, respectively, rather than a neutral solvent, N-metyl-2-pyrrolidone. These morphological enhancements led to higher proton conductivity and water uptake. Drying temperature and/or solvent removal rate were observed to have considerable effects on water uptake and swelling behavior, being coupled with solvent selectivity. Also, the multiblock copolymer consisting of longer blocks was found to be more sensitive to the variation of the processing conditions such as solvent type and film drying temperature.     

Synthesis and characterization of controlled molecular weight disulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) copolymers and their applications to proton exchange membranes

tert-Butylphenyl terminated disulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) copolymers with controlled molecular weights (M_n), 20-50 kg mol⁻¹, were successfully prepared by direct copolymerization of the two activated halides, biphenol and the endcapper, 4-tert-butylphenol. The high molecular weight copolymer (molecular weight over 80 kg mol⁻¹) was also synthesized with 1:1 stoichiometry without an endcapping reagent. The chemical compositions and the molecular weights of the endcapped copolymers were characterized by their ¹H NMR spectra utilizing the 18 unique protons at the chain ends. Modified intrinsic viscosity measurements in 0.05 M LiBr/NMP solution further correlated well with NMR results. Combining the endcapping chemistry with proton NMR end group analysis and intrinsic viscosity measurements, one can demonstrate a powerful tool for characterizing molecular weight of sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) random copolymers. This enables one to further investigate the influence of molecular weight on several critical parameters important for proton exchange membranes, including water uptake, in-plane protonic conductivity and selected mechanical properties. These are briefly discussed herein and will be more fully described in subsequent publications.     

Characterization of random and multiblock copolymers of highly sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) for a proton‐exchange membrane

Random and multiblock copolymers of sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) (SPAES) were synthesized and characterized to compare the differences in the properties of proton‐exchange membranes made with random and multiblock SPAES copolymers. Atomic force microscopy observations and small‐angle X‐ray scattering measurements suggested the presence of nanoscale, clusterlike structures in the multiblock SPAES copolymers but not in the random SPAES copolymers. Proton‐exchange membranes were prepared from random and multiblock copolymers with various ion‐exchange capacities (IECs). The water uptake, proton conductivity, and methanol permeability of the SPAES membranes depended on the IECs of the random and multiblock SPAES copolymers. At the same IEC, the multiblock SPAES copolymers exhibited higher performances with respect to proton conductivity and proton/methanol permeation selectivity than the random SPAES copolymers. The higher performances of the multiblock SPAES copolymers were thought to be due to their clusterlike structure, which was similar to the ionic cluster of a Nafion membrane. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Hydrophilic-hydrophobic multiblock copolymers based on poly(arylene ether sulfone) via low-temperature coupling reactions for proton exchange membrane fuel cells

Two series of multiblock copolymers based on poly(arylene ether sulfone)s were developed and evaluated for use as proton exchange membranes (PEMs). The multiblock copolymers were synthesized by a coupling reaction between phenoxide terminated fully disulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) (BPSH100) and decafluorobiphenyl (DFBP) or hexafluorobenzene (HFB) end-capped unsulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) (BPS0) as hydrophilic and hydrophobic blocks, respectively. The highly reactive nature of DFBP and HFB allowed the coupling reactions to be accomplished under mild reaction conditions (e.g., <105 °C). The low coupling temperatures prevented possible ether-ether exchange reactions which can cause a loss of order due to randomization of the hydrophilic-hydrophobic sequences. The multiblock copolymers produced tough and ductile membranes and their fundamental properties as PEMs were explored. They showed enhanced conductivities under fully hydrated conditions when compared with a random BPSH copolymer with a similar IEC. These copolymers also showed anisotropic swelling behavior, whereas the random copolymers were isotropic. The synthesis and fundamental properties of the multiblock copolymers are reported here and the systematic fuel cell properties and more detailed morphology characterization will be provided elsewhere.     

SPTES-b-PI质子交换膜的制备及表征

质子交换膜作为质子交换膜燃料电池的核心部件具有提供离子通道传递质子和隔绝两极气体的双重作用,其性能的好坏直接影响着电池性能的优劣。主链引入亲水和疏水段的嵌段芳香族共聚物,由于各嵌段之间具有热力学不相容性会产生微相分离结构,进而形成高效的质子传导通道。本文以磺化双（4-氟苯基）砜（SDFDPS）和4,4'-硫代双苯硫酚（TBBT）为单体,以间羟基苯胺为封端剂合成了带有氨端基的磺化聚芳硫醚砜（SPTES-NH₂）。嵌段聚合物SPTES-b-PI通过亲水段SPTES-NH₂与以1,4,5,8-萘四羧酸二酐（NDA）和4,4'-双（3-氨基苯氧基）二苯基砜（m-BAPS）为单体缩聚而成的疏水段聚酰亚胺（PI）的酰亚胺化偶联反应来合成,制备出了PI分子量不同的SPTES-b-PIx（x=5~20kg/mol）。SPTES-b-PIx膜显示出优异的热力学稳定性,SPTES-b-PIx膜的脱磺化反应开始于290℃高于260℃的SPTES膜,与SPTES-70相比吸水率降低。随着聚酰亚胺分子量的增大,热稳定性增加,质子传导率增加。SPTES-b-PIx的质子传导率25℃下达到0.045~0.124S/cm。     

Physical and electrochemical behaviors of directly polymerized sulfonated poly(arylene ether ketone sulfone)s proton exchange membranes with different backbone structures

Sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone sulfone) (SPEEKS) and sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone ketone sulfone) (SPEEKKS) copolymers with different degree of sulfonation (DS) were synthesized by aromatic nucleophilic polycondensation of disodium 3,3′‐disulfonate‐4,4′‐dichloro‐diphenylsulfone (SDCDPS), tertbutylhydroquione, and 4,4′‐difluorobenzophenone or 1,4′‐bi(4‐fluorobenzoyl) benzene. Prepared sulfonated copolymers were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectra, thermogravimetric analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry. The transmission electron microscope was used to investigate the microstructure of membranes. The different distance between two adjacent sulfonic groups in two series of membranes resulted in different physical and electrochemical properties between two kinds of membranes with the same DS. The proton conductivity, ionic exchange capacity and water uptake of SPEEKS membranes were higher than those of SPEEKKS membranes while the mechanical strength of SPEEKS membranes was lower than that of SPEEKKS membranes at the same DS. Moreover, the SPEEKKS membranes with DS equals to 0.8 showed a good combination of a high proton conductivity (0.046 S/cm at 25°C, 0.061 S/cm at 80°C), acceptable water uptake (33–65 wt %), excellent mechanical strength (tensile strength reached 49.7 MPa), and good thermal properties (T_g above 250°C, T_d5% above 300°C). It suggested that this could be a promising membrane for proton exchange membrane fuel cell application. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Novel side-chain-type sulfonated hydroxynaphthalene-based Poly(aryl ether ketone) with H-bonded for proton exchange membranes

A series of novel side-chain-type sulfonated hydroxynaphthalene poly(aryl ether ketone)s (SHNPAEKs) containing hydroxyl groups was synthesized by post grafted method and the sulfonated degree (Ds) of the polymers could be well controlled. The resulting polymers were characterized by ¹H NMR, FT-IR and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Meanwhile, the membrane properties for fuel cell applications such as water uptake, proton conductivity and methanol transport have been studied. The influence of pendent structure and inter-/intramolecular H-bonded to the properties of SHNPAEKs has been investigated. The proton conductivities of SHNPAEK membranes showed a range of 0.020-0.197 S/cm and the highest conductivity of 0.197 S/cm was obtained for SHNPAEK-90 (IEC = 2.08 meq./g) at 80 °C. The methanol permeability of SHNPAEK membranes was in the range from 2.65 × 10⁻⁷ to 11.9 × 10⁻⁷ cm²/s, which was much lower than that of Nafion 117.     

Preparation and properties of bisphenol A‐based sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) proton exchange membranes for direct methanol fuel cell

Novel bisphenol A‐based sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) (bi A‐SPAES) copolymers were successfully synthesized via direct copolymerization of disodium 3,3′‐disulfonate‐4,4′‐dichlorodiphenylsulfone, 4,4′‐dichlorodiphenylsulfone, and bisphenol A. The copolymer structure was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectra and ¹H NMR analysis. The series of sulfonated copolymers based membranes were prepared and evaluated for proton exchange membranes (PEM). The membranes showed good thermal stability and mechanical property. Transmission electron microscopy was used to obtain the microstructures of the synthesized polymers. The membranes exhibit increased water uptake from 8% to 66%, ion exchange capacities from 0.41 to 2.18 meq/g and proton conductivities (25°C) from 0.012 to 0.102 S/cm with the degree of sulfonation increasing. The proton conductivities of bi A‐SPAES‐6 membrane (0.10–0.15 S/cm) with high‐sulfonated degree are higher than that of Nafion 117 membrane (0.095–0.117 S/cm) at all temperatures (20–100°C). Especially, the methanol diffusion coefficients of membranes (1.7 × 10^?8 cm²/s–8.5 × 10^?7 cm²/s) are much lower than that of Nafion 117 membrane (2.1 × 10^?6 cm²/s). The new synthesized copolymer was therefore proposed as a candidate of material for PEM in direct methanol fuel cell. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Proton exchange membranes based on poly(vinylidene fluoride) and sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone)

Blend membranes were obtained by solution casting from poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) in N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc). DSC and XRD were used to characterize the structure of the blend membranes. The effect of PVDF content on the membrane properties was investigated. The methanol permeability, water uptake and the swelling ratio of blend membranes decreased with the increase of PVDF content. Though the proton conductivity decreased upon the addition of PVDF, they were still comparable to that of Nafion^® 117 membrane. Higher selectivities were also found for most blend membranes in comparison with Nafion^® 117 membrane. The effect of methanol concentration on solution uptake, swelling ratio and methanol permeability of the blend membranes was also studied.     

Pendant crosslinked poly(aryl ether sulfone) copolymers sulfonated on backbone for proton exchange membranes

A series of sulfonated poly(aryl ether sulfone) copolymers containing phenyl pendant groups with sulfonic acid groups on the backbone were synthesized through condensation polymerization. The degree of sulfonation (DS) of the copolymers was controlled by changing the feed ratios of sulfonated to unsulfonated monomers. Post‐crosslink reactions are carried out with 4,4′‐thiodibenzoic acid (TDA) as a crosslinker and the carboxylic acid groups in TDA can undergo Friedel–Craft acylation with the phenyls pendent rings in sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone)s copolymers to prepare polymer electrolyte membranes for fuel cell applications. The chemical structures of crosslinked and uncrosslinked sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone)s copolymers (SPSFs and CSPSFs) were characterized by FTIR, ¹H NMR spectra. The thermal and mechanical properties of the membranes were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis and stress–strain test. The dependence of water uptake, methanol permeability, proton conductivity, and selectivity on DS was studied. Transmission electron microscopic observations revealed that SPSFs and CSPSFs membranes form well‐defined microphase separated structures. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 54:2013–2022, 2014. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) membranes crosslinked with sulfonic acid containing benzoxazine monomer as proton exchange membranes

The incorporation of benzoxazine (Ba) or sulfonic acid containing benzoxazine (SBa) as a crosslinking agent in SPEEK proton exchange membrane (PEM) can substantially improve the SPEEK membrane performance. The SPEEK-SBa membranes give higher effective selectivity than corresponding SPEEK-Ba membranes under close crosslinker loading and thus are more suitable to be used in direct methanol fuel cells. The best achieved SPEEK-SBa composition (SBa40) gives reasonable proton conductivity (0.91 × 10⁻² S cm⁻¹) but significantly lower methanol permeability (6.5 × 10⁻⁸ S² cm⁻¹). The achieved effective selectivity (Φ = SPEEK-SBa40: 14.0 × 10⁴ S s cm⁻³) is substantially higher than the plain SPEEK (Φ = 7.24 × 10⁴ S s cm⁻³) which has great potential for practical applications in DMFCs.     

Random sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) and sulfonated poly(arylene ether ketone) membranes for fuel cell applications

In this study, sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) (SPAES) and sulfonated poly(arylene ether ketone) (SPAEK) were randomly synthesized, employing a presulfonation process. This presulfonation process resulted in a more controlled and reproducible sulfonation level. The respective polymers were prepared using 2,2-Bis(4-hydroxyphenyl) propane at 50% molar ratio, which also provided some membrane elasticity. The resulting polymers, each had 25% of the block containing the sulfonic domains (SPAES A 25 and SPAEK A 25). Better conductive membranes were achieved for the random sulfone polymers than for the random ketone polymers, with values, respectively, of 0.24 and 0.07 S cm⁻¹ at 80°C. The lower proton conductivity from the ketone-based polymer was compensated with very low methanol permeability (0.25 × 10⁻⁶ cm² s⁻¹) and outstanding oxidative stability. The selectivity of both polymer membranes exceeded the reported values for the state-of-the-art Nafion® 117 and other commercially available options. Both polymer membranes, with their unique combination of ionic domains, elastomeric blocks, and resulting morphology, could be viable candidates for fuel cell applications.     

Synthesis of sulfonated poly(arylene-co-naphthalimide)s as novel polymers for proton exchange membranes

A series of novel sulfonated poly(arylene-co-binaphthalimide)s (SPPIs) were successfully synthesized via Ni(0) catalytic coupling of sodium 3-(2,5-dichlorobenzoyl)benzenesulfonate and bis(chloronaphthalimide)s. Bis(chloronaphthalimide)s were conveniently prepared from 5-chloro-1,8-naphthalic anhydride and various diamines. Tough and transparent SPPI membranes were prepared and the electrolyte properties of the copolymers were intensively investigated as were the effects of different diamine structures on the copolymer characterisitics. The copolymer membrane Ia-80, with an ion exchange capacity (IEC) of 2.50 meq g⁻¹, displayed a higher proton conductivity, i.e. 0.135 S cm⁻¹ at 20 °C, as compared to Nafion 117 (0.09 S cm⁻¹, 20 °C). The copolymer membrane Id-70, containing 3,3′-dimethyl-4,4′-methylenedianiline (DMMDA) units, exhibited excellent stability toward water and oxidation due to the introduction of hydrophobic methyl groups on the ortho-position of the imido bond in the copolymer. The mechanical property of Id-70 remained virtually unchanged after immersing membrane in pressured water at 140 °C for 24 h. Furthermore, the introduction of aliphatic segment a hexane-1,6-diamine (HDA) in copolymer led to a significant increase in proton conductivity and water uptake with increasing temperature; the proton conductivity of the Ic-70 membrane reached 0.212 S cm⁻¹ at 80 °C, which was higher than Nafion 117 as well as of the membranes based on aromatic diamines at equivalent IEC values. Consequently, these materials proved to be promising as proton exchange membranes.     

Structures and properties of highly sulfonated poly(arylenethioethersulfone)s as proton exchange membranes

A series of sulfonated poly(sulfonium cation) polymers, sulfonated poly(arylenethioethersulfone)s (SPTES)s possess up to two sulfonate groups per repeat unit, and can be easily converted into corresponding acid form of the SPTES polymer to form a tough, ductile, free-standing, pinhole-free membranes with excellent mechanical properties. The SPTES polymers exhibit good water affinity and excellent proton conductivity due to the high water uptake. Proton conductivities between 100 and 300 mS/cm (at 65 °C, 85% relative humidity) were observed for the SPTES polymers with 50 mol% (SPTES-50) to 100 mol% (SPTES-100) of sulfonated monomer. The evaluation by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and thermomechanical analysis (TMA) showed that the SPTES polymers have excellent thermal stability, mechanical properties, and dimensional stability, making them excellent candidates for the next generation of proton exchange membranes (PEMs) in fuel cell applications.