Organic-inorganic hybrid nanofibres having a mesoporous inorganic phase, preparation thereof by electrospinning, membrane, electrode, and fuel cell

Organic-inorganic hybrid nanofibers comprising two phases:

• a first mineral phase comprising a structured mesoporous network with open porosity;
• and
• a second organic phase comprising an organic polymer, wherein said second organic phase is not present inside pores of the structured mesoporous network;
• wherein the first mineral phase has organic chemical functional groups, and wherein the second organic phase has organic chemical functional groups;
• wherein the organic chemical functional groups of the first mineral phase and the second organic phase are respectively chosen from among conductive and/or hydrophilic functional groups;
• and
• wherein said conductive functional groups are selected from the group consisting of cation exchange groups and anion exchange groups;
• wherein the cation exchange groups are selected from the group consisting of —SO3M′;
• —PO3M′2;
• and —B(OM′)2, where M′ represents hydrogen and a monovalent metallic cation;
• and
• wherein the anion exchange groups are selected from the group consisting of pyridyl, imidazolyl, pyrazolyl, triazolyl, and radicals of formula —+N(R6)3X′− and —+NR8X′ groups;
• wherein X′ represents an anion, and
• where each R6 is independently selected from the group consisting of H, an alkyl group, an aryl group, aromatic and non-aromatic basic radicals containing at least one radical selected from the group consisting of imidazole, vinylimidazole, pyrazole, oxazole, carbazole, indole, isoindole, dihydrooxazole, isooxazole, thiazole, benzothiazole, isothiazole, benzoimidazole, indazole, 4,5-dihydropyrazole, 1,2,3-oxadiazole, furazane, 1,2,3-thiadiazole, 1,2,4-thiadiazole, 1,2,3-benzotriazole, 1,2,4-triazole, tetrazole, pyrrole, aniline, pyrrolidine, and pyrazole radicals;
• and the —+NR8X′ groups, and
• R8 is a group, which forms with nitrogen +N a cycle of 4 to 10 ring atoms including carbon and nitrogen atoms;
• and
• wherein said organic chemical functional groups of the first mineral phase are located at a surface of the pores of the structured mesoporous network, and are bonded covalently to walls of the structured mesoporous network,
• wherein the organic-inorganic hybrid nanofibers further comprise nanoparticles of metal oxides, wherein the nanoparticles of the metal oxides spread and are bounded on at least one of external surfaces of the organic-inorganic hybrid nanofibers, and wherein a metal of the metal oxides is selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, platinum, palladium, nickel, copper, ruthenium, rhodium, cobalt, and an alloy thereof.