{
  "abstract": "Achieving long-term oxidative stability in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) remains a major challenge. Here, we investigate the morphological mechanisms underlying the oxidative stability of thiourea-functionalized sol–gel (SG)/sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (sPEEK) hybrid membranes, previously developed using two organosilane precursors, N,N′-bis[3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl] thiourea (HTU) and N-phenyl,N′-[3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl] thiourea (TTU). These thiourea groups, introduced as sacrificial antioxidants, are used to tune the nanoscale organization of the SG phase within the polymer matrix. Contrast-variation small-angle neutron scattering (CV-SANS) shows that the SG phase is distributed within ionic nanochannels and interbundle regions. Although TEM and AFM indicate homogeneous dispersion at the microscale, sub-resolution fluctuations likely account for the SANS signal. HTU forms well-defined spherical hybrid domains (∼5–6 nm), whereas TTU produces larger, less organized structures (∼18–22 nm). Under oxidative conditions, pristine sPEEK swells and degrades above 0.1 wt%, whereas hybrid membranes retain structural integrity and conductivity up to 0.3 wt% through a two-stage protection mechanism, consisting of a primary (total) SG-driven protection in ionic domains followed by a secondary protection in interbundle regions upon SG consumption. This sequential mechanism governs membrane integrity and proton transport under oxidative stress.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 14,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Claire Tougne"
    },
    {
      "name": "Meriem Daoudi"
    },
    {
      "name": "Evelise Ferri"
    },
    {
      "name": "Vincent H Mareau"
    },
    {
      "name": "Véronique Dufaud"
    },
    {
      "name": "Catherine Santini"
    },
    {
      "name": "Eliane Espuche"
    },
    {
      "name": "Olivier Lottin"
    },
    {
      "name": "Jean-Christophe Perrin"
    },
    {
      "name": "Jérôme Dillet"
    },
    {
      "name": "Assma El Kaddouri"
    },
    {
      "name": "Lionel Porcar"
    },
    {
      "name": "Laurent Gonon"
    },
    {
      "name": "Hakima Mendil-Jakani"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bcnm7d1j5r2yw.bib",
  "cited_by": 1,
  "doi": "10.1039/d6ta03128e",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "bcnm7d1j5r2yw",
  "issns": [
    "2050-7488",
    "2050-7496"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://hal.science/hal-05762294v1",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "hal",
      "0.chim"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2208|Fuel Cells and Related Materials"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7164354242",
  "pdf_url": "https://hal.science/hal-05762294/document",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-24",
  "publisher": "Royal Society of Chemistry",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bcnm7d1j5r2yw.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:40Z",
      "native_id": "hal-05762294",
      "source": "hal",
      "url": "https://hal.science/hal-05762294v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "chemistry",
      "origin": "hal:0.chim",
      "subfield": "general"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Revealing nanostructure-driven oxidative protection in thiourea-functionalized sPEEK hybrid membranes for PEM fuel cells",
  "title_text": "Revealing nanostructure-driven oxidative protection in thiourea-functionalized sPEEK hybrid membranes for PEM fuel cells",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:40Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bcnm7d1j5r2yw",
  "venue": "Journal of Materials Chemistry A",
  "versions": []
}