Fullerene based proton conductive materials

A method of making a proton conductive polymer comprising:

• combining a fullerene with a spacer-molecule precursor wherein each of said spacer-molecule precursors is an at least partially fluorinated molecule adding a linking-molecule precursor to form a plurality of cross-linked first reaction products;
• and
• protonating the cross-linked first reaction product so as to form a polymeric compound including a proton conductive functional group attached to said fullerene by a spacer molecule that is formed from said spacer-molecule precursor that is at least partially fluorinated;
• wherein said fullerenes are C60, said spacer-molecule precursors are I—CF2—CF2—O —CF2—CF2—SO2F, and said linking-molecule precursors are I—(CF2)8—I;
• and wherein said step of forming the first reaction product.
• said step is carried out with a one equivalent amount of C60, a twenty-four equivalent amount of I—CF2—CF2—O—CF2—CF2—SO2F, and a twenty-four equivalent amount of 1-(CF2)8—I, in a solution of 1:1 C6F6/CS2 at a temperature of about 200° C. for about 96 hours, wherein said cross-linked first reaction product is of the general formula:
• wherein y is a natural number of at least two, and n is a natural number of up to about 8.