Patent ID: 8709677

Claim:
A proton conducting polymer electrolyte comprising a proton conducting ionomer and a polymetaloxane copolymer additive, wherein the polymetaloxane copolymer additive, prior to addition, comprises (i) cross-linking functional groups and (ii) other functional groups, and wherein, in the proton conducting polymer electrolyte, the ionomer and copolymer additive are covalently bonded or acid-base complexed together at the cross-linking functional groups of the polymetaloxane copolymer, wherein: the polymetaloxane copolymer prior to addition comprises a polymerized network of a plurality of metal oxide monomers with the cross-linking functional groups and a plurality of metal oxide monomers with the other functional groups, in random or block sequence, wherein: the metal oxide monomers with the cross-linking functional groups comprise: a first metal bonded to at least two oxygen atoms and selected from the group consisting of Si, Ti, Zr, Ce, Ta, and Cr; and the cross-linking functional groups bonded to the first metal and comprising a functional end group containing nitrogen or oxygen and characterized by a chemical structure selected from the group consisting of —NH 2 , ═NH, -(aliphatic) —OH, -(aryl)-OH, wherein R is a hydrocarbon group; and the metal oxide monomers with other functional groups comprise: a second metal bonded to at least two oxygen atoms and selected from the group consisting of Si, Ti, Zr, Ce, Ta, and Cr; and the other functional groups bonded to the second metal and selected from the group consisting of: i) proton carrier functional groups comprising a functional end group selected from the group consisting of —PO 3 H 2 , —COOH, —SO 3 H, and —SO 2 NHSO 2 CF 3 , ii) metal chelating functional groups comprising a functional end group selected from the group consisting of phosphonic acid, bipyridine, phenanthroline, and derivatives thereof, and iii) free radical scavenger functional groups comprising a functional end group selected from the group consisting of aminophenyl, hydroxyphenyl and derivatives thereof.