Investigation of ion transport through hydrated polymer membranes by QENS

In recent years, the introduction of rigid backbone polymers has enabled precise control over the arrangement of sulfonic acid groups, which facilitates the formation of long-range ordered ion transport channels. By controlling the concentration of sulfonate groups on the molecular chains(PPS), we are able to prepare a series of membrane materials with different ion exchange capacities (IECs). This project aims to investigate the influence of material microstructure on ion transport properties. We propose employing QENS to elucidate the effect of rigid backbone architecture on proton diffusion dynamics. By modulating different ion-water coordination states, we aim to analyze how the chemical environment of ionic groups governs ion transport behavior.