Thermodynamics of Nafion™-vapor interactions. I. Water vapor

Interaction between water vapor and Nafion™ perfluorosulfonate ionomer has been investigated via combined flow microcalorimetry and isothermal sorption over a wide range of water relative pressure. The molar enthalpy of sorption was determined for the untreated polymer, the residual polymer after extraction by aqueous propanol, and the extracted fraction. The extract appears to be low molecular weight Nafion™ but with an equivalent weight more than double that of the unextracted polymer. The equivalent weight of the residual polymer is slightly lower than that of the original Nafion™, apparently due to partial alkylation. Molar enthalpy for formation of the sulfonic acid monohydrate is about the same for the residual and unextracted polymers, but much greater for the extracted fraction. For untreated Nafion™, the magnitude and concentration dependence of the molar enthalpy indicates that sorption of water exhibits a clear progression from hydronium ion formation (≤1 H₂O/SO₃H) through growth of isolated hydrated clusters (≤6 H₂O/SO₃H) to a continuous internal water phase. A more complicated process occurs for the extract and residual polymer fractions in that an endotherm associated with elastic compression of the polymer matrix surrounding isolated water clusters is superimposed on the hydration exotherm over the concentration range of cluster growth. There is only a minor indication of this endotherm for unextracted Nafion™ because of more facile relaxation of the polymer structure due to plasticization by the low molecular weight fraction.