Decorating titanate nanotubes with protonated 1,2,4-triazole moieties for anhydrous proton conduction

Anhydrous proton conducting materials based on surface attachment of protonated 1,2,4-triazole moieties on titanate nanotubes are prepared through self-assembly technique. H-1 MAS NMR spectra have revealed that the triazole moieties located at the outer surface of nanotubes. The distance between two ionic groups at the surface is observed to be shorter than 1 nm, which may facilitate the formation of continuous proton conducting domains, leading to easy proton transport through segmental motion and structural re-organization in the absence of water. The maximum proton conductivity of the synthesized materials reaches about 2.4 x 10(-3) S cm(-1) at 160 degrees C under anhydrous conditions. (C) 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.