Blends of polybenzimidazole and poly(vinylidene fluoride) for use in a fuel cell

We report a new blend system consisting of an amorphous polymer polybenzimidazole (PBI) and a semicrystalline polymer poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF). A systematic investigation of the blend pair in various compositions using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy provides direct evidence of specific hydrogen bonding interaction involving the N-H groups of PBI and the >CF(2) groups of PVDF. Blending shows a maximum 30 cm(-1) frequency shift in the N-H stretching band of PBI and also the existence of a partial double bond character in the PVDF chain. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) study proves the miscibility of these polymers in a wider composition range. The decrease of the T(g) with increasing PVDF in the blend and also the decrease of both the T(m) and T(c) with increasing PBI in the blend attribute the miscibility of the blend systems. The PA doping level of the blend membranes improves significantly as a result of the hydrophobic nature of the PVDF component.