High proton conductivity of water channels in a highly ordered nanowire.

A proton-conductive material based on a crystalline assembly of trimesic acid and melamine (TMA⋅M, see picture) is reported. Because of the ordered structure of the assembly, the water-saturated proton conductivity for the TMA⋅M assembly is 5.5 S cm(-1) , which is the highest proton conductivity measured to date. This exceptionally high conductivity and low-cost fabrication of the material make applications feasible for fuel-cell devices.