Transport properties of MF-4SK membranes modified with inorganic dopants

Proton transport in MF-4SK perfluorinated sulfo cationic membranes modified by silica and zirconium hydrogen phosphate were studied using pulsed-field gradient NMR and impedance spectroscopy. At high water contents, water molecules are involved in proton transfer. At low water contents, the proton conductivity of modified membranes considerably exceeds the conductivity of an unmodified membrane. The most likely reason for this effect is the generation of an extra H-bond network involving the dopant and sulfo groups of the membrane.