This work reports the electrochemical characteristics of a new cation-exchange membrane based on a polynorbornene functionalized with substituted dicarboximide side groups, specifically hydrogenated poly(N-4-oxybenzenesulfonic acid-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorophenyl-exo-endo-norbornene-5,6-dicarboximide). A thorough study on the electrochemical characteristics of the membrane involving osmotic flow, electromotive forces of concentration cells and proton conductivity is reported. This work shows that the polymer membrane exhibits a proton conductivity of 2.24 S/m at 30 degrees C, the same order of magnitude as that reported for Nafion membranes at the same temperature. The proton permselectivity of the membrane is also discussed. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.