Timothy Swager-2.5.2021

• Video details

  This lecture will describe the use of molecular building blocks to create materials that have porous structures.  Unlike conventional porous materials that use processing or phase separation processes to create porosity, the free volume is intrinsic in our materials.  This concept was originated by our group some years ago and underpins the growing field of polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs).  The key design element is the incorporation of rigid bicyclic ring structures directly into polymer backbones and a variety of different structures will be presented.  Membranes with enhanced ionic conductivities that can be used in fuel cells will be described.  These studies demonstrates that the intrinsic free volume associated with the polymer structures produces higher conductivity with low activation energies over all degrees of hydration and gives exceptional performance at low water concentrations.  The designs presented are general and have been extended to anion exchange membranes to enable new fuel cell technologies. New cation designs are introduced that produce for improved membrane stability and the creation of ionic wires that provide new transport mechanisms. These latter materials display high hydroxide conductivity at very low levels of water and increasing conductivity with decreased ion exchange capacities.  Lastly our free volume designs have been extended to membranes for gas separation.  These technologies can offer economic and energy advantages in chemical production.  Novel materials designs are shown that allow for exceptional transport of select gases and a resistance to plasticization, which provides improved stability that can enable commercial applications. This latter area is an expanding effort in our group and is in collaboration with Professor Zachary Smith (MIT Chem. Engr.).

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