Engineering Dynamic Proton “Hubs” in Hydrogen‐Bonded Frameworks for Superprotonic Conductivity
Mimicking the synergistic proton conduction in biology remains a formidable challenge for synthetic materials. Here, we report a strategic approach by engineering dynamic proton "hubs" within hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs). These hubs are supramolecular secondary building units (SSBUs) formed by charge-assisted hydrogen bonds between ammonium and sulfonate groups, which are programmed into the frameworks to direct proton traffic. The resulting ammonium-sulfonate HOF, BPDS_NH<sub>4</sub>, exhibits a highly competitive proton conductivity of 0.21 S cm<sup>-1</sup> (90°C, 90% RH). The exceptional performance is governed by the dual function of the proton hubs: their high charge density and hydrophilicity create a highway for vehicular transport of solvated proton clusters (H<sup>+</sup>(H<sub>2</sub>O)<sub>n</sub>), while the dense, dynamic H-bonded network within each hub serves as a confined arena for ultrafast Grotthuss hopping. These processes are synergistically coupled, as verified by activation energy analysis and H/D isotope effect. This work establishes the construction of supramolecular proton hubs as a versatile blueprint for the rational design of advanced proton-conducting materials.
Authors
- Pengling Huang
- Gang Ye (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-6525-0963)
- Yilin Luo
- Yi Su
- Yi Xie
- Xiaojun Ding
Institutions
- Lanzhou University of Technology (CN)
- Key Laboratory of Nuclear Radiation and Nuclear Energy Technology (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Angewandte Chemie International Edition
- Published
- 2026-02-25
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202525282
- Primary Topic
- Metal-Organic Frameworks: Synthesis and Applications
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00