Preparation of ionomeric polymer and metal composites using sulfonated poly(ether-ether-ketone) with different degrees of sulfonation

• Grant number: 22/10033-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: October 01, 2022
• End date: September 30, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Principal Investigator: Carlos Henrique Scuracchio
• Grantee: Renan Lopes Valerio
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Exatas e de Tecnologia (CCET). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Ionomeric polymer and metal composites (IPMCs) are intelligent and bio-inspired materials, which have a metal/polymer/metal sandwich structure. They are capable of deforming in response to electrical stimuli and vice versa. Usually, they have low density, are flexible, biocompatible, and have low actuation voltage. Therefore, they are promising materials in a diverse range of applications, such as actuators, sensors, artificial muscles, and robotics. The most widely used ionomeric polymer for these purposes is Nafion®. However, this polymer is expensive, ecologically problematic, has low water holding capacity, and low performance at high temperatures, limiting its use in some practical applications. In this sense, several efforts have been conducted in the development of alternative membranes, among them the sulfonated poly(ether-ether-ketone). The insertion of sulfonic groups in this polymer aims to add polar groups that make it hydrophilic and enable the ionic conduction required for these devices. Therefore, the objective is to sulfonate this polymer and evaluate the effect of different degrees of sulfonation on electromechanical performance with actuation tests. For this, IPMCs will be manufactured using platinum as an electrode, and comparative studies with Nafion® 117 will be conducted, regarding their performance as actuators. Morphological analyzes will also be carried out, by means of scanning electron microscopy, to evaluate the homogeneity of electrode deposition and the thickness of the manufactured membranes and if the degree of sulfonation can influence this step.