Cobaltocenium Containing Polymers: Complexation With Organic Anion And Initial Assesment For Anion Exchange Membranes

In this thesis, cobaltocenium containing monomers and polymers are investigated for guest anion loading and alkaline anion exchange membrane for fuel cells. The properties of these polymers are characterized and discussed. Chapter 1 describes overall background and potential applications of metallocene and metallocenium containing polymers. The research objectives of metallocenium containing polymers are discussed. Cobaltocenium containing polymers have potential applications in biomedical science. Therefore, the effect of different parameters such as electrostatic charge, size, conformation, π-electron system and hydrogen bonding on the interactions between these polymers and small anionic probes has been studied qualitatively, as described in Chapter 2. A fluorescence dye was used to make a complex with polymers. Then small anionic probes were used to displace the dye. The released amount of dye was measured by using simple optical spectroscopy techniques, which give the relative binding affinity of organic probes to polymers. In Chapter 3, the chemical stability of cobaltocenium cation [Cp2Co]+ having an eighteen electron closed shell valence configuration, similar to alkali metal cations, was studied at 80 °C in 1 M NaOH solutions using 1H NMR, mass spectroscopy and UV-Vis spectroscopy. Attempts were made to synthesize side chain cobaltocenium containing monomers and polymers as alkaline anion exchange membrane for fuel cells. Finally, a summary with the major results from the previous chapters are discussed in Chapter 4. Suggestions are also offered for future investigations