Novel composite proton exchange membranes have been prepared from non-fluorinated polymer and non- and surface coated heteropoly acids (HPA) using atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Polyether sulfone (PES) was used as a polymer matrix. Phosphotungstic acid (PWA), phosphomolybdic acid (PMoA) and silicotungstic acid (SiWA) were used as HPA. It was found that the SiWA has a higher conductivity compared with PWA, at the same concentration. PES was sulfonated using chlorosulfonic acid. The highest conductivity for sulfonated PES with 60 wt.% PWA was 1.7 x 10-2 S/cm. In order to increase the compatibility between SiWA and PES, the SiWA was surface coated. Surface coated SiWA particles can be added to the polymer matrix up to 50 wt.% to form a homogeneous membrane. This route also has the potential to increase the conductivity by sulfonation of grafted polymer backbone, and to avoid "washing out" of HPA in the fuel cell.