Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) Professor Gwang-woon Jeong (Department of Polymer -Nano Science &Technology) and his research team have developed a next-generation polymer electrolyte membrane that reliably conducts protons even in high-temperature, anhydrous environments by combining liquid-crystal self-assembly with photopolymerization techniques.

This work demonstrates an anhydrous proton-conducting membrane applicable to high-temperature hydrogen fuel cells. The team precisely designed proton transport pathways by simultaneously controlling the self-assembled structure of phosphate-based reactive mesogen molecules and their macroscopic molecular orientation.

Conventional proton-conducting membranes rely on water for operation, so they have limitations in maintaining performance and stability at high temperatures or in environments with limited water supply.

The team utilized liquid-crystal self-assembly, in which molecules autonomously form regular structures, to create proton transport channels and fixed these channels via photopolymerization so that the structure remains stable under high-temperature, anhydrous conditions.

Notably, they presented a novel material design strategy that controls both molecular packing and molecular orientation to tune proton conduction properties. It is expected to be used to enhance the performance and durability of polymer electrolyte membranes for high-temperature hydrogen fuel cells.

Professor Gwang-woon Jeong stated, 'This technology could lead to the development of high-performance proton-conducting materials applicable not only to high-temperature hydrogen fuel cells but also to various electrochemical systems with limited water supply.'

The research was selected as the cover article of the latest 2026 issue of Advanced Functional Materials, an internationally renowned journal in the field of functional materials.

Meanwhile, this research was carried out with support from the National Research Foundation of Korea's Quantum Research Exchange Support Program and Basic Research Program, the Ministry of Science and ICT's Nano & Materials Technology Development Program, and JBNU Center for University wide Research Facilities (CURF) and Future Energy Convergence Core Center (FECC).