Facile large-scale fabrication of proton conducting channels.
A new approach to the facile large-scale fabrication of robust silicon membranes with artificial proton conducting channels is presented. Ordered two-dimensional macroporous silicon was rendered proton conducting by growing a thick uniform polyelectrolyte brush using surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization throughout the porous matrix. The fabricated silicon-poly(sulfopropyl methacrylate) hybrid membranes were evaluated for their proton conductivity, ion exchange capacity, and water uptake. With proton conductivities in the range of 10(-2) S/cm, these proof-of-concept experiments highlight a promising alternative for producing tailorable proton conducting membranes. This approach constitutes a benchmark for the preparation and study of model systems and, in addition, for the large-scale fabrication of membranes suitable for a wide range of technological applications.
Yameen
Basit
B
Max-Planck-Institut für Polymerforschung, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, Germany.
Kaltbeitzel
Anke
A
Langner
Andreas
A
Duran
Hatice
H
Müller
Frank
F
Gösele
Ulrich
U
Azzaroni
Omar
O
Knoll
Wolfgang
W