Synthesis and characterization of poly[((maleic anhydride)-alt-styrene)-co-(2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propane sulfonic acid)]

Novel polyfunctional sulfone- and anhydride-containing reactive terpolymers with different compositions have been synthesized by complex-radical polymerization of the ternary MA-St-APMS acceptor-donor-acceptor monomer system. This method allows preparing terpolymers with a sufficiently high content of APMS which essentially increased polyelectrolyte, swelling, IEC and thermal stability of terpolymer films. The terpolymer structure-composition-properties (polyelectrolyte, thermal, swelling and cation exchange behavior) relationships were studied by FTIR and H-1 {C-13) NMR (DEPT- 135) spectroscopy, viscometry, DSCTGA methods, and by means of swelling and exchange capacity. The observed H-bonding between sulfonic acid, amide and anhydride fragments played an important role in the formation of the physically crosslinked and self-assembled architectures with controllable hydrophilic-hydrophobic balance. These reactive terpolymers can be used as synthons for exchange membrane preparation and fuel cell applications.