A Review on Applications and Challenges of Fullerenes in Proton Exchange Membranes

ABSTRACT Clean energy devices have the potential to change the world and avoid future energy crises. The development of new energy‐efficient technologies helps reduce our dependence on limited fossil fuel resources. Hydrogen energy is the key to achieving clean energy transition goals. Proton exchange membrane fuel cells play a critical role. Research and development of new high‐tech proton exchange membranes (PEMs) provide new horizons for the development of hydrogen energy. The use of carbon nanomaterials to improve PEM efficiency is one of the modern trends. The modification of modern membranes with fullerenes and their derivatives is an innovative strategy for increasing proton conductivity. This paper discusses the key principles of proton transport in PEMs modified with individual fullerenols, sulfofullerenes, carboxylated fullerenes, phosphofullerenes, and cianohydrofullerenes. The introduction of fullerene nanoparticles into polymer PEM induces an improvement in key properties. Summary information covers existing research on the use of fullerenes as nanoscale modifiers of proton‐conducting materials. This review will help researchers to surpass the achieved results in the field of modern proton‐conducting materials and stimulate the development of hydrogen energy.