| Abstract: | New series of fully aromatic poly(ether ketone)s with a biphenyl pendant groups were synthesised. A direct comparison of sulphonation reaction among monophenylated poly(ether ether ketone) (Ph‐PEEK), biphenylated poly(ether ether ketone) (BiPh‐PEEK) and PEEK (Victrex) was thoroughly investigated. Several advantages of the pendant‐phenyl poly(ether ketone)s compared with commercial PEEK were identified, including ready control over the site of sulphonation and degree of sulphonation (DS), and mild and rapid sulphonation. The basic membrane physical properties comprising of thermal and mechanical properties, dimensional stability and proton conductivity were studied. One new membrane, sulphonated biphenylated poly(ether ether ketone) (BiPh‐SPEEKDK) having a good combination of membrane properties was fabricated into a membrane electrode assembly (MEA), and it showed excellent direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) performance. |
