The development of proton conductive polyacrylate membranes based on acrylonitrile, sodium 4-vinylbenzenesulfonate, acrylic acid, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate and hybrid polyacrylate/silica membranes is reported in this article. Polyacrylate membranes were synthesized via UV-initiated copolymerization; for the synthesis of polyacrylate/silica membranes 3-methacryloxypropyl trimethoxysilane-based sol–gel system was introduced into the polymerizing mixture.

The preparation of hybrid proton conductive membranes that comprise of covalently linked interpenetrating polymer and inorganic networks is reported. The hybrid membranes are synthesized via simultaneous photo‐initiated polymerization and sol–gel processing. The simultaneous processing permeates fabrication of the membranes that comprises covalently cross‐linked polymeric and inorganic networks. The membranes are characterized by attenuated total reflectance‐Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scaning electron microsopy, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, in order to confirm their chemical composition, structure, and morphology. An addition of 3‐methacryloxypropyl trimethoxysilane into the sol–gel composition allows the formation of covalent linkages between polymeric and inorganic networks, which facilitates a uniform distribution of the molecular components across the fabricated membranes. The incorporation of the silica network leads to an increase in water retention and proton conductivity of hybrid membranes as compared to their purely polymeric analogues.

Proton conductive organic-inorganic membranes were synthesized based on acrylic monomers and silica inorganic component, derived as a result of sol-gel transformation of precursor-3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MAPTMS). Kinetics of polymerization in situ was investigated by laser interferometry. Membranes characterization includes water and methanol uptake, contact angle and proton conductivity at different temperatures. Activation energy values for proton conductivity in prepared membranes were evaluated. The obtained hybrid membranes demonstrated high proton conductivity making them attractive for the use in fuel cells.

Using UV-curing technique the proton conductive polymer materials based on acrylic monomers: 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (AMPS), acrylic acid (AA) and acrylonitrile (AN), cross-linked by varying amounts of N,N'-methylene(bis)acrylamide (MBA), and the hybrid polymer/inorganic membrane of the same content with addition of sol-gel system (SGS) based on 3-methacryloxypropyl trimethoxysilane (MAPTMS) and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) were synthesized. The obtained materials were characterized by analysis of thermal, mechanical and morphological properties. Proton conductivity and water uptake were found to depend on the level of cross-linking of the materials. The value of proton conductivity of the hybrid membrane was sufficiently high reaching 3.46 × 10-2 S cm-1.