Metal-Organic Frameworks and Other Crystalline Materials for Ultrahigh Superprotonic Conductivities of 10-2 S cm-1 or Higher

Abstract

Proton-conducting materials in the solid state have received immense attention for their role as electrolytes in proton-exchange membrane fuel cells. Recently, crystalline materials-metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs), covalent organic frameworks (COFs), polyoxometalates (POMs), and porous organic crystals-have become an exciting research topic in the field of proton-conducting materials. For a better electrolyte, a high proton conductivity on the order of 10^-2 S cm^-1 or higher is preferred as efficient proton transport between the electrodes is ultimately necessary. With an emphasis on design principles, this Concept will focus on MOFs and other crystalline solid-based proton-conducting platforms that exhibit "ultrahigh superprotonic" conductivities with values in excess of 10^-2 S cm^-1 . While only a handful of MOFs exhibit such an ultrahigh conductivity, this quality in other systems is even rarer. In addition to interpreting the structural-functional correlation by taking advantage of their crystalline nature, we address the challenges and promising directions for future research.

Keywords: crystalline materials; fuel cells; metal-organic frameworks; proton transport; structure-functional relationships.