Proton-conductive material and method for production thereof, membrane electrode assembly, and fuel cell

A method for producing a proton-conductive material, which comprises reacting and polymerizing a compound of the following formula (1) and an oxide of a compound of the following formula (3) in a mode of sol-gel reaction:

• (Z1)n1-A-[Si(OR1)m1(R2)3−m1]n2 (1)
• wherein A1 represents an organic group containing a mesogen substituted with at least one electron-attracting group;
• R1 represents an alkyl group or an aryl group;
• R2 represents an alkyl group, an aryl group, or a heterocyclic group;
• Z1 represents a substituent capable of forming a carbon-carbon bond or a carbon-oxygen bond through polymerization;
• m1 indicates an integer of from 1 to 3;
• n2 indicates an integer of from 1 to 3;
• when the formula has two or more Z1's, R1's and R2's, then they may be the same or different;
• and n1 indicates an integer of from 0 to 3,
• (3) L-(S)p-B-[Si(OR3)3−m2(R4)m2]n2 (3)
• wherein B represents an organic group containing an aliphatic group and/or an aromatic group;
• R3 represents an alkyl group or an aryl group;
• R4 represents an alkyl group, an aryl group or a heterocyclic group;
• m2 indicates an integer of from 1 to 3;
• n2 indicates an integer of from 1 to 4;
• p indicates an integer of from 1 to 5;
• when p is 1, then L represents a hydrogen atom or —COCH3, and when p is an integer of from 2 to 5, then L represents an alkyl group, an aryl group, a heterocyclic group, or [Si(OR3)3−m2(R4)m2]n2;
• when the formula has two or more R3's and R4's, then they may be the same or different.