Facile Fabrication of Poly(vinyl alcohol)/Polyquaternium-10 (PVA/PQ-10) Anion Exchange Membrane with Semi-Interpenetrating Network

Anion exchange membranes (AEMs) are one of the core components of AEM fuel cells. A series of poly(vinyl alcohol)/polyquaternium-10 (PVA/PQ-10) AEMs with semi-interpenetrating networks (s-IPNs) are prepared by a simple solution-casting method using glutaraldehyde (GA) as a cross-linking agent. Subsequently, the prepared PVA/PQ-10 cross-linked membranes are characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, mechanical analysis, water uptake and swelling ratio tests, ion exchange capacity (IEC) tests, ionic conductivity measurements, and oxidative/alkaline stability tests. The effects of the mass ratio of PVA and PQ-10 and the amount of cross-linking agent GA on the performance of the PVA/PQ-10 cross-linked membranes are systematically explored. The results show that the cross-linked PVA/PQ-10 AEMs have high IEC and low water uptake and swelling ratio, and its maximum ionic conductivity can reach 79.37 mS cm^–1 at 80 °C. In addition, the PVA/PQ-10 cross-linked membrane has good oxidative and alkaline stability under optimal preparation conditions. These results may provide valuable insights toward more effective scheme designs and new, simple preparation methods for AEMs with s-IPN structures.