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Updated: Jun 8, 2025
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Design of Functional Gyroid Minimal Surfaces Transporting Proton Based Solely on Surface Hopping Conduction
Nanami Aoki1, Yumin Tang2, Xiangbing Zeng2
1Department of Biotechnology and Life Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, 184-8588, Japan.
Macromolecular Rapid Communications
|November 4, 2024
Summary
This study demonstrates fast proton conduction via surface proton hopping conduction (SPHC) in novel gyroid-nanostructured polymer films. Dense SO3- group alignment enables efficient proton transport, crucial for advanced electrolyte applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Polymer Science
Background:
- Surface proton hopping conduction (SPHC) is a key mechanism in polymer electrolytes, alongside Grotthuss and vehicle mechanisms.
- Limited research on SPHC is due to the low proton diffusion coefficient.
- Recent findings show dense SO3- group alignment can reduce SPHC activation energy for faster conduction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop novel polymer electrolytes exhibiting fast proton conduction.
- To investigate the role of nanostructure and SO3- group alignment in SPHC.
- To achieve high proton conductivity at moderate temperatures and humidity.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of polymerizable amphiphilic-zwitterions.
- Formation of bicontinuous cubic liquid-crystalline assemblies with gyroid symmetry.
- In situ polymerization and characterization using synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS).
Main Results:
- Successfully prepared gyroid-nanostructured polymer films.
- Achieved high proton conductivity (10^-2 S cm^-1) at 40°C and 90% relative humidity.
- Demonstrated that proton conduction is solely based on the SPHC mechanism.
Conclusions:
- Dense alignment of SO3- groups in gyroid nanostructures facilitates fast SPHC.
- These materials show promise for high-performance proton exchange membranes.
- The study highlights a new pathway for designing efficient proton conductors.
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