Method for Producing a Polymer, in Particular for a Membrane, Polymer, Membrane and Use of a Membrane

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This invention provides a new method for producing polymers specifically designed for membrane applications, especially in the field of electrochemistry (fuel cells, batteries, and electrolyzers). The process uses three types of starting materials: phenylene compounds, acetal or ketal compounds (or certain phosphines), and a carbonyl component. Through a polyhydroxyalkylation reaction, these starting materials yield a polymer with improved mechanical and chemical properties. The resulting polymers can be used to manufacture membranes, such as ion exchange membranes with enhanced stability and performance, and can be further modified for various advanced applications.

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• Membranes for fuel cells (including low-temperature and direct alcohol fuel cells)
• Ion exchange membranes for redox-flow batteries (e.g., vanadium-flow batteries)
• Membranes for electrolyzers and electrochemical synthesis
• Dialysis membranes for electrochemical separation processes (electrodialysis, diffusion dialysis, Donnan dialysis)
• Customized polymer development for improved chemical, thermal, or mechanical properties in membrane applications
• Development of fluorine-free, stable ion exchange membranes

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Improved mechanical stability of polymer membranes compared to previous materials
• Enhanced chemical stability, especially in alkaline environments, due to fluorine-free and tailored structures
• Greater design flexibility—allows for a wide range of structural and functional modifications of the polymer
• Potential for improved ion conductivity and reduced swelling of membranes, leading to better performance in electrochemical devices
• Versatile process that enables further functionalization and blending with other polymers for optimized properties
• Environmentally friendlier production possibilities due to fluorine-free options

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Patent Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for producing a polymer, in particular for a membrane, comprising the following steps: - providing a first starting material, which contains or consists of phenylene compounds; - providing a second starting material, which contains or consists of acetal compounds and/or ketal compounds and/or phosphines with carbonyl groups; - providing a third starting material, which contains a carbonyl component; and - synthesizing a polymer from the starting materials by way of polyhydroxyalkylation (PHA).