In situ protonation in a locally flexible porous coordination polymer for enhancing proton-carrier loading and proton conductivity

Designing efficient proton-conductive materials is crucial in fuel cells.Yet,it remains a substantial challenge because of the issues in proton mobility,proton-carrier amount,and orientation of proton host materials.Herein,we report an in-situ protonation strategy to produce a locally flexible porous coordination polymer(PCP)to enhance the proton-carrier loading and proton conductivity.The local dipole flipping of the ligand allows effective proton exchange with low activation energy,promoting interpore proton transport through the pore apertures and pore walls.The protonation induces substantial charges to the frameworks and enhances the interaction with proton carriers,thereby increasing the loading of the proton carriers.By this design strategy,the resulting PCP exhibits enhanced phosphoric acid loading and extraordinary proton conductivities under both aqueous and anhydrous conditions compared to its isoreticular analog that features rigidity without proton-exchange capability.Our work provides a new avenue for designing proton-conductive materials that combine structural dynamics with performance merits.