Tao Wen,* Lu Qiu, Zhao Zheng, Yuqing Gong, Jun Yuan, Yingying Wang, Mingjun Huang, and Panchao Yin*
In the present work, the hybridization of subnanometer scale metal oxide cluster STA with poly(ethylene oxide)(PEO) and PEO-block-poly(propylene oxide)-block-PEO was investigated. A new crystalline phase was formed in the hybrid nanocomposites, which is attributed to the inclusion of PEO in the lattices ofSTA, that is, inclusion crystallization. The crystal lattice and dimensionsof STA/PEO inclusion crystals are determined to be an orthorhombicunit cell with a = 1.52 nm, b = 2.74 nm, c = 2.52 nm, and α = β = γ = 90°. Remarkably, hybrid nanosheets with large size and high shapeasymmetries can be formed by lamellar inclusion crystals. The dependence of proton conductivities of STA nanocomposites oncrystalline structures was examined, and it was found that the formation of hybrid nanosheets could enhance proton conductivities ofSTA nanocomposites. This work provides new insight into the development of cluster-based nanocomposites with controlledmorphology and optimized performance.
