Electron microscopy investigation of ion exchange membranes

Transmission electron microscopy has been used for the recognition of the structural heterogeneity and the distribution of ionogenic groups in the cation exchange membranes. The investigations were performed on the fluorinated membranes (NAFION, MRF) and on the earlier known membranes containing poly(styrenesulphonic acid) (AMF C-322 and PE—PSSA membranes). The electron images of the ultra-thin sections revealed the homogeneous nature with the uniform distribution of small ionogenic group concentrations in the membranes NAFION and MRF—4MB, and the heterogeneous distribution of the groups in the poly(styrenesulphonic acid) membranes (AMF C-322, PE—PSSA membrane) and the membrane MRF-26, which is the consequence of the inhomogeneous nature of the polymer base of these membranes.