Towards high-temperature fuel cells using sulfonated-phosphonated poly(pentafluorostyrene)

Herein, we present a hybrid polymer material with phosphonic acid and sulfonic acid moieties on a poly(pentafluorostyrene) backbone utilizing the SNAr Michaelis-Arbuzov and the para-fluoro-thiol reaction. Blending the hybrid material with a benzimidazole polymer yielded a mechanically stable membrane featuring proton conductivities up to three times higher than conventional Nafion N211 at temperatures above 120 °C.