Proton conducting polymer blends and hybrid organic inorganic materials

Literature results concerning proton conducting polymer electrolytes are re viewed with emphasis on acid doped polymer blends and on derived systems ob tained by adding an inorganic filler or a plasticizer or both. In addition, conductivity results are provided on anhydrous polyamide/H3PO4 blends in a wide acid concentration range and on new membranes involving a fluorinated polymer, silica and H3PO4 or H2SO4 aqueous solutions. The room temperature conductivity of 10(-1) S cm(-1) reached by these membranes is discussed us ing in situ Raman spectroscopy measurements of the acid concentration, Gene ral trends and prospects are tentatively drawn from the available results. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.