Unraveling the Complex Hydrogen Bonding of a Dual-Functionality Proton Conductor Using Ultrafast Magic Angle Spinning NMR

Hydrogen bonding plays a critical role in proton-conducting polymers, as it provides the network necessary for structural (Grotthus mechanism) diffusion. This network must be both pervasive and dynamic in order for long-range proton transport to be achieved. The structural motifs must be understood, even in amorphous materials, and moreover, the lattice energies in the structure must be low enough to allow rearrangement and mobility. To this …