Structure-Property Relationships of Polyelectrolytes for Energy Applications
Energy demands are growing and polymers play an integral role in advancing energy generation technologies. Currently we focus on synthesizing and characterizing polymer electrolyte membranes for fuel cells: both acidic and alkaline environments. We use various synthesis methods and processing techniques to produce polyelectrolyte films with a focus on composite materials that have nanometer scale features. Small-angle x-ray scattering, differential scanning calorimetry, thermal gravimetric analysis, conductivity measurements, FTIR, and NMR are the tools used to analyze the relationship between how the material structure impacts its properties from the nanometer scale all the way up to understanding its macroscopic performance.