Abstract
A new series of anhydrous binary and ternary acid-base systems composed of trifluoroacetic acid (TFAA), imidazole (IM) and Poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropene) (PVDF-HFP) has been developed. The acid and base was added to the polymer in various compositions to improve the properties of polymer electrolyte such proton conductivity and thermal stability. However, it was found that some of the acid and base combinations outperformed the ternary system in proton conductivity testing obtaining conductivity in the 10-2 S/cm range. Further testing was then carried out on the binary systems to determine their suitability for use as high temperature performance materials. Analysis of their thermal stabilities found that these materials were not only good proton conductors but also had high thermal stabilities, where some of them resulted in high thermal stability of up to 200oC.