Alkaline polymer electrolyte membranes from quaternized poly(phthalazinone ether ketone) for direct methanol fuel cell

Quaternized poly(phthalazinone ether ketone)s (QPPEK)s were synthesized by the chloromethylation and quaternization of poly(phthalazinone ether ketone) (PPEK) with chloromethyl methyl ether in 98% concentrated sulfuric acid and following trimethylamine. The presence of CH2Cl groups in chloromethylated PPEK was confirmed by 1H‐NMR. An alkaline QPPEK membrane was prepared and its thermal and mechanical properties were tested. The alkaline QPPEK membrane had a methanol permeability 6.57 × 10−7 cm2/s and the highest anion conductivity 1.14 × 10−2 S/cm.