Mobility of water molecules in Li+, Na+ and Cs+ ionic forms of Nafion membrane studied by NMR

Correlation times and diffusion coefficients of water molecules were measured for the first time by 1H spin relaxation and pulsed field gradient NMR in Li+, Na+ and Cs+ ionic forms of Nafion 117 membrane. Hydration numbers of Li+, Na+ and Cs+ cations were calculated. It was shown that at high humidity macroscopic transfer is controlled by the local translational motion of water molecules.