Roles of Chemical Functionality and Pore Curvature in the Design of Nanoporous Proton Conductors

Nanoporous proton-transporting media are critical components in fuel cells and other electrochemical devices, yet general molecular design criteria for new materials with enhanced performance remain obscure. Aqueous lyotropic liquid crystals (LLCs) comprise a platform for detailed studies of the molecular-level features governing proton transport in monodisperse, water-filled nanopores lined with well-defined chemical functionalities. We report new alkylsulfonic acid LLCs that exhibit H + conductivities as high as σ = 380 mS/cm at 80 °C, which rival those of more acidic, perfluorinated polymers, thus demonstrating that the acidity of the pore functionality is not the sole determinant of proton transport. Direct experimental comparisons of LLCs with convex and concave nanopores of similar dimensions indicate that H + conductivities therein sensitively depend on the hydration state of the acid functionalities and the pore curvature. These experiments suggest that judicious manipulation of pore curvature provides a new means for optimizing the activities of proton-exchange membranes and nanoporous solid acid catalysts.