NEW METAL-ORGANIC FRAMEWORK PACKS A PROTON-CONDUCTING PUNCH

摘要

George K. H. Shimizu and colleagues have synthesized a metal-organic framework (MOF) with excellent proton conductivity and stability in water (DOI: 10.1021/jacs.5b04399). These properties could be exploited in the development of cheaper fuel cells. To make fuel cells more cost competitive as an alternative energy technology, researchers are on the hunt for more efficient electrolyte materials. MOFs are a promising new electrolyte option: they can conduct protons and are easily tailored for specific applications. But few MOFs conduct protons efficiently enough to meet the benchmark of 10~(-2) S· cm~(-1) that is thought to be required for translation into fuel cell components. Even those materials that meet this threshold often do not form robust enough hydrogen-bonding networks to ensure stability in water, which is required for operation below 100 ℃.