Polystyrene Domains Research Articles

Photothermal AFM-IR Depth Sensitivity: An Original Pathway to Tomographic Reconstruction.

Photothermal atomic force microscopy-infrared (AFM-IR) enables label-free chemical imaging and spectroscopy with nanometer-scale spatial resolution through the integration of atomic force microscopy (AFM) and infrared radiation. The capability for subsurface and three-dimensional (3D) tomographic material analysis remains, however, largely unexplored. Here, we establish a simple and robust empirical relationship between the probing depth and laser repetition rate for three important modes of AFM-IR operation: resonance-enhanced, tapping, and surface-sensitive AFM-IR. Using this empirical relationship, we demonstrate, based on the example of resonance-enhanced operation, how photothermal AFM-IR of thin surface/subsurface layers of polystyrene domains in the poly(methyl methacrylate) matrix can result in 3D representations revealing the size and thickness of small polystyrene domains in the poly(methyl methacrylate) matrix with nanometer-scale resolution. Experimental findings are confirmed by analytical models.

Thin microporous polydimethylsiloxane membrane prepared by phase separation and its applications for cell culture

Animal experiments are often required for biological studies. However, in vitro cell culture models, such as cell-culture inserts and microphysiological systems, can provide a suitable alternative, making them essential tools in cell biology research, including the simulation of an organ environments closely related to the human body. Cell-culture inserts with porous membranes assist in recreating in vivo cell culture environments to study and process cell-culture assays. However, conventional cell culture membranes typically made of polyethylene terephthalate or polycarbonate cannot accommodate cell types that require deformable substrates. As such, this paper introduced a novel approach using spin-casting-assisted polymer-blend phase separation to create thin, flexible, and highly porous membranes for cell culture applications. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) was selected as the material for the porous membrane, and polystyrene (PS) was used as a counter pair to induce phase separation with PDMS. PDMS facilitated the necessary reversible deformations during cell culture owing to its low elastic modulus. The thickness of the membrane and connectivity of the phase-separated PS domains can be adjusted, facilitating the fine-tuning of the pore size and density to improve the membrane performance. Therefore, this study successfully fabricated thin microporous PDMS membranes with improved performance over standard membranes for cell-culture inserts, namely a higher porosity, flexibility, and softness. The results of this study can enhance cell culture methodologies and contribute to a deeper understanding of cellular processes.

Tracking the evolution of the morphology and stress distribution of SIS thermoplastic elastomers under tension using atomic force microscopy

ABSTRACT Styrene-based ABA-type triblock copolymers and their blends are widely investigated thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs). The design of tough TPE materials with high strength and resilience requires further clarification of the relationship between microstructure and macroscopic properties of stretched samples. Here, we applied atomic force microscopy (AFM)-based quantitative nanomechanical mapping to study the deformation behavior of poly(styrene-b-isoprene-b-styrene) blends under tension. The results indicated that the glassy polystyrene (PS) domains deformed and inhomogeneous stress distributions developed in the initial stretching stage. At 200% strain, the glassy PS domains started to crack. The change in the peak value in the JKR Young’s modulus diagram during stretching was consistent with the stress – strain curve. Analysis of the particles before and after stretching suggested that the glassy domains separated and reorganized during stretching.

Influence of Biogenic Material Content on the Biodegradability of Styrene-Butadiene Composites with Incorporated Chlorella vulgaris Biomass.

Bio-fillers are intensively studied for advanced polymer composite circular design and production. In this context, the algal biomass may be considered an important and relatively low-cost resource, when harvested as a by-product from wastewater treatment plants. The biomass of the algal species Chlorella vulgaris is frequently used in this type of environmental process, and its macro constituents' composition ranges from around 15-25% carbohydrates, 10-20% lipids, and 50-60% proteins. Poly (styrene-butadiene-styrene) (SBS) copolymers have a matrix composed of glassy polystyrene domains connected by flexible polybutadiene segments. Although the physical-mechanical properties of SBS copolymers recommend them for many industrial applications, they have the drawback of low biodegradability. This study aimed to assess the aerobic biodegradability of polymer composites by integrating biomass from Chlorella vulgaris at varying mass percentages of 5, 10, and 20% into SBS copolymer composites. Biodegradation tests were conducted under industrial composting conditions (58 °C and 50% relative humidity) for 180 days. The biodegradability of materials was evaluated by measuring the CO2 produced in each vessel during the study period. Potential correlations between the amount of carbon dioxide released and the percentage of biomass added to the polymer matrix were examined. Structural and morphological changes were assessed using Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermal analysis (DSC), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Physical and chemical testing revealed a decrease in sample density after the industrial composting test, along with noticeable changes in melt flow index (MFI). The observed physical and chemical changes, coupled with FTIR, SEM, and DSC data, indicate increased cross-linking and higher porosity in biodegraded polymer structures with higher biomass content. This behavior is likely due to the formation of cross-linked connections between polymer chains and polypeptide chains resulting from protein degradation, enhancing connections between polystyrene units facilitated by peptide bonds with the benzene units of the styrene blocks within the polymer matrix.

Ultrathin, Mechanically Robust Quasi-Solid Composite Electrolyte for Solid-State Lithium Metal Batteries.

Herein, we present the preparation and properties of an ultrathin, mechanically robust, quasi-solid composite electrolyte (SEO-QSCE) for solid-state lithium metal battery (SLB) from a well-defined polystyrene-b-poly(ethylene oxide) diblock copolymer (SEO), Li6.75La3Zr1.75Ta0.25O12 nanofiller, and fluoroethylene carbonate plasticizer. Compared with the ordered lamellar microphase separation of SEO, the SEO-QSCE displays bicontinuous phases, consisting of a Li+ ion conductive poly(ethylene oxide) domain and a mechanically robust framework of the polystyrene domain. Therefore, the 12 μm-thick SEO-QSCE membrane exhibits an exceptional ionic conductivity of 1.3 × 10-3 S cm-1 at 30 °C, along with a remarkable tensile strength of 5.1 MPa and an elastic modulus of 2.7 GPa. The high mechanical robustness and the self-generated LiF-rich SEI enable the SEO-QSCE to have an extraordinary lithium dendrite prohibition effect. The SLB of Li|SEO-QSCE|LiFePO4 reveals superior cycling performances at 30 °C for over 600 cycles, maintaining an initial discharge capacity of 145 mAh g-1 and a remarkable capacity retention of 81% (117 mAh g-1) after 400 cycles at 0.5 C. The high-voltage SLB of Li|SEO-QSCE|LiNi0.5Co0.3Mn0.2O2 displays good cycling stability for over 150 cycles at 30 °C. Moreover, the exceptional robustness of SEO-QSCE enables the high-voltage solid-state pouch cell of Li|SEO-QSCE|LiNi0.5Co0.3Mn0.2O2 with high flexibility and excellent safety features. The current investigation delivers a promising and innovative approach for preparing quasi-solid electrolytes with features of ultrathin design, mechanical robustness, and exceptional electrochemical performance for high-voltage SLBs.

Porous Melt Blown Poly(butylene terephthalate) Fibers with High Ductility and High-Temperature Structural Stability.

In this study, porous poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) fibers were produced by melt blowing cocontinuous blends of PBT and polystyrene (PS) and selectively extracting the interconnected PS domains. Small amounts of hydroxyl terminated PS additives that can undergo transesterification with the ester units in PBT were added to stabilize the cocontinuous structure during melt processing. The resulting fibers are highly ductile and display fine porous structural features, which persist at temperatures over 150 °C. Single fiber tensile testing and electron microscopy are presented to demonstrate the role of rapid quenching and drawing of the melt blowing process in defining the fiber properties. The templated highly aligned pore structure, which is not easily produced in solvent-based fiber spinning methods, leads to remarkable mechanical properties of the porous fibers and overcomes the notoriously poor tensile properties common to other cellular materials like foams.

Morphology and confinement effects on crystallization kinetics in polyethylene containing block copolymers

This paper investigates the morphology and crystallization kinetics of polyethylene (PE) containing block copolymers, differing in block number (di- vs. triblock copolymers) and composition (ABA triblock co- vs. ABC triblock terpolymers). In these block copolymers, the crystallizable PE block is linked to amorphous poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and/or polystyrene (PS) blocks, and for one triblock terpolymer, poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) was introduced as an additional crystallizable block. The topological confinement exerted by the covalent linkage of PE to the other blocks (glassy PMMA and PS, PEO) in combination with the morphological confinement into different PE microdomains (cylinders, lamella) significantly influence the crystallization behavior, resulting in slower crystallization kinetics compared to pure PE. The strongest effects were observed for triblock terpolymers, where the lamellar PE domains are disrupted by PS cylinders or distorted PS domains. This research enhances our understanding of block copolymers with confined crystallizable segments, aiding in tailored material design.

Achieving a Wide-Range Linear Piezoresistive Response in Electrowritten Soft-Hard Polymer Blends via Salami-Inspired Heterostructure Design.

Flexible electronics capable of acquiring high-precision signals are in great demand for the development of the internet of things and intelligent artificial. However, it is currently a challenge to simultaneously achieve high signal linearity and sensitivity for stretchable resistive sensors over a wide strain range toward advanced application scenarios requiring high signal accuracy, e.g., sophisticated physiological signal discrimination and displacement measurement. Herein, a film strain sensor, which has an electrical and mechanical dual heterostructure, was fabricated via a direct near-field electrowriting and molecule-guided in situ growth of silver nanoparticles with different concentrations on high-modulus polystyrene domains and low-modulus styrene-butadiene copolymers with a salami-like morphology. Mechanism analyses from both theoretical and experimental investigations reveal that the salami-like heteromodulus microstructure regulates microcrack propagation routes, while the heteroconductivity changes the electron transport paths and amplifies the resistance increase during crack propagation. Therefore, the as-designed strain sensor shows a linear resistive response within ca. 70% strain with a gauge factor of 25, unveiling a simple and scalable strategy for trading off signal linearity and sensitivity over a wide strain range for the fabrication of high-performance linear strain sensors.

Enhanced bending electromechanical properties of maleic anhydride-grafted SEBS gels by blending with acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer

The poly(styrene-b-ethylene-co-butylene-b-styrene) (SEBS) gel which a type of electroactive thermoplastic elastomer has significant intrinsic electromechanical coupling effect owing to its unique microphase separated structure. However, the relationship between the structure and electromechanical properties of SEBS gel remains incompletely understood. This study investigates the effects of polar groups and nanostructure parameters on the bending electromechanical property of SEBS gel for improving its bending electromechanical properties, using maleic anhydride-grafted SEBS/white oil (WO) gel (SEBS-M gel) and blends of SEBS-M gel with acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer (SAN). The SEBS-M gel/SAN films exhibited a hexagonally packed cylinder (HEX) morphology, and the radius of polystyrene domains (rPS) as well as the thickness of poly(ethylene-co-butylene) (PEB) domains (dPEB) in the SEBS-M gel/SAN slightly decreased with increasing SAN content up to 15 phr, followed by an increase. The bending displacement and actuation stress of SEBS-M gel/SAN increased with increasing SAN content up to 15 phr. The bending displacement of SEBS-M gel at 1.4 kV is approximately 74 % of that of SEBS gel, while the bending displacement of SEBS-M gel/SAN-15 at 1.4 kV is approximately 195 % and 266 % higher than that of SEBS gel and SEBS-M gel when the SAN content reaches 15 phr, respectively. The grafted maleic anhydride has a counteractive effect on the bending electromechanical properties of SEBS gel, while blending with a certain amount of SAN in SEBS-M gel has a synergistic effect on the bending electromechanical properties of SEBS gel. It is demonstrated that the enchantment of bending electromechanical properties of SEBS gel is achieved not only by adjusting the parameters of its microphase-separated structure but also by inducing segment deformation through electric field-induced dipole orientations.

Development of broad modulus profile upon polymer-polymer interface formation between immiscible glassy-rubbery domains.

Interfaces of glassy materials such as thin films, blends, and composites create strong unidirectional gradients to the local heterogeneous dynamics that can be used to elucidate the length scales and mechanisms associated with the dynamic heterogeneity of glasses. We focus on bilayer films of two different polymers with very different glass transition temperatures ([Formula: see text]) where previous work has demonstrated a long-range (∼200 nm) profile in local [Formula: see text] is established between immiscible glassy and rubbery polymer domains when the polymer-polymer interface is formed to equilibrium. Here, we demonstrate that an equally long-ranged gradient in local modulus [Formula: see text] is established when the polymer-polymer interface ([Formula: see text]5 nm) is formed between domains of glassy polystyrene (PS) and rubbery poly(butadiene) (PB), consistent with previous reports of a broad [Formula: see text] profile in this system. A continuum physics model for the shear wave propagation caused by a quartz crystal microbalance across a PB/PS bilayer film is used to measure the viscoelastic properties of the bilayer during the evolution of the PB/PS interface showing the development of a broad gradient in local modulus [Formula: see text] spanning [Formula: see text]180 nm between the glassy and rubbery domains of PS and PB. We suggest these broad profiles in [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] arise from a coupling of the spectrum of vibrational modes across the polymer-polymer interface as a result of acoustic impedance matching of sound waves with [Formula: see text] nm during interface broadening that can then trigger density fluctuations in the neighboring domain.

MEH‐PPV/SBS composite films: Localization and luminescence properties of conductive polymers with microphase separation

AbstractThis study reports the synthesis of a flexible light‐emitting polymer film by casting the solution formed by blending poly[2‐methoxy‐5‐((2‐ethylhexyl)oxy)‐1,4‐phenylenevinylene] (MEH‐PPV) with poly(styrene‐co‐butadiene‐co‐styrene) (SBS). Scanning force microscopy (SFM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) confirm that MEH‐PPV molecules are selectively positioned in the polystyrene (PS) domain of the fabricated film. As MEH‐PPV molecules are dissolved in the PS phase without aggregation, the photoluminescence (PL) spectrum of the MEH‐PPV/SBS film exhibits a nanometer‐scale bicontinuous luminescent domain with low aggregation quenching. Furthermore, the MEH‐PPV/SBS film exhibits typical elastomeric characteristics (with linear elasticity, a plateau, and densification regions in its stress–strain curves), and its tensile properties are comparable to those of neat SBS films. As MEH‐PPV molecules are almost absent in the polybutadiene (PB) phase (which influences the bulk‐film elastic properties), the concentration of MEH‐PPV shows very little effect on the elastic properties of the composite film.

Study on rheological behavior of polystyrene‐polyisoprene‐polystyrene around viscous flow transformation: Effect of polystyrene block content and molecular weight

AbstractThe flow behavior of triblock copolymer polystyrene‐polyisoprene‐polystyrene (SIS) was different below and above the viscous flow transition temperature (Tf). The study investigated the relationship between molecular structure (molecular weight and polystyrene block content) and the macroscopic rheological properties of SIS melt around Tf via capillary rheometer. The results indicated that below the Tf, shear viscosity of SIS melt was controlled by the polystyrene (PS) block content. On the other hand, above the Tf, shear viscosity was controlled by molecular weight. The rheological phenomena were explained based on the state change of the PS domains below and above Tf. The effect of PS block content on the viscous flow activation energy (Eη) and pressure drop of SIS melt was also investigated.

Bending electromechanical actuation mechanism and properties of nanostructured dielectric poly (styrene-b- (ethylene-co-butylene)-b-styrene) / white mineral oil (SEBS/WO) blend elastomers

Dielectric elastomers (DEs) as one class of electronic type of electroactive polymers (EAPs) can be deformed under electrical stimulation, and have important applications in the soft robots, wearable electronic devices, and medical rehabilitation machinery so on. In this work, the bending actuation mechanism, and electromechanical properties of nanostructured dielectric poly (styrene-b-(ethylene-co-butylene)-b-styrene)/white mineral oil (SEBS/WO) blend films were investigated under free electrodes condition. The morphology and mechanical properties of SEBS/WO films were adjusted by the content of WO, where the WO selectively swelled the poly (ethylene-co-butylene) (PEB) domains. The phase transition of lamellar (LAM) structure to hexagonal array packed cylinder (HEX) of SEBS/WO films was observed when added WO content larger than 17 wt%. The modulus and the polystyrene (PS) domain radius of SEBS/WO blend films with HEX structure were decreased as increase of WO weight fraction. The bending displacement of SEBS/WO films was almost linearly dependent on the applied electric voltages, and the single cantilever model based calculated bending force was almost linearly dependent on inverse of PS domain radius for SEBS/WO films with HEX morphology. The bending actuation mechanism of SEBS/WO films with HEX morphology was suggested that the bending actuation of SEBS/WO films was caused by electrostatic attraction force between inter-PS domains induced squeezing deformation of poly (ethylene-co-butylene) (PEB) domains. The SEBS/WO blend films with 50 wt% of WO content showed 6.54 mm (corresponding to 23.56°) at 2 kV (50 V/mm of nominal electric field). Our results can provide new insight on development of nanostructured electroactive elastomers for applications in the soft actuator materials.

Film thickness and strain rate dependences of the mechanical properties of polystyrene-b-polyisoprene-b-polystyrene block copolymer ultrathin films forming a spherical domain

While the mechanical properties of ultrathin polymer films have been extensively studied, only few studies have focused on the ultrathin block copolymer films with complex topologies. The structure-property relationship of ultrathin films (thickness = 35–1000 nm) of polystyrene- b -polyisoprene- b -polystyrene (SIS) containing 14 wt% polystyrene (PS) is established in this study. Grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering, dynamic secondary ion mass spectrometry, and atomic force microscopy were used to characterize the film structure. The difference in surface energy and interfacial energy of the domains resulted in the SIS thin films to primarily consist of three layers: a PS-rich subsurface layer (30 wt%), a spherical PS bulk layer (14 wt%), and a PS-rich interface layer (20 wt%). The film-on-water tensile test was used to investigate both the film thickness and strain rate dependences of mechanical properties. We found that the Young's modulus increased dramatically as film thickness decreased, although only few PS-rich layers consisting of disperse cylindrical and spherical PS domains existed at the surface and interface. Furthermore, the strain rate dependence of the modulus and stress relaxation was more significant for thinner films than for thicker films. The increase in modulus and unusual relaxation behavior are hypothesized to be the result of a combination of different factors, including PS domain alignment, confinement effects, and surface and interface interactions. • The structure-property relationship of ultrathin SIS films is analyzed. • Young's modulus increases upon decreasing thickness. • The extent of stress relaxation is larger for thinner films. • The stiffening may result from PS domain alignment.

Insight into the Evolution of Ordered Mesoporous sp2 Carbonaceous Material Derived from Self-Assembly of a Block Copolymer.

Block-copolymer-derived ordered mesoporous carbon (OMC) materials have great potential in many applications, such as adsorption, catalysis, and energy conversions; however, their formation process and the kinetic mechanism remain unclear. Herein, a N-doped OMC (N-OMC) with sp2-bonded C atoms is developed via self-assembly of the polystyrene-block-poly(4-vinyl pyridine) block copolymer. By correlating the external morphologies with the internal chemical states, the formation process can be concluded as follows: (1) pore evolution via polystyrene domain degradation and (2) regularization and graphitization of the residual carbon via the removal of sp3 C atoms. In addition, the thickness of the N-OMC shows a power function relationship with the spin-coating rate, and the N content can be incredibly increased up to 26.34 at. % in an NH3 carbonization atmosphere. With the as-prepared N-OMC as the support for loading of the pseudo-atomic-scale Pt (Pt/N-OMC), a high electrochemical active surface area value of 99.64 m2·g-1 and a half-wave potential (E1/2) of 0.850 VRHE are achieved, showing great potential in developing single-atom electrocatalysts.

Mechanically mutable polymer enabled by light.

Human skin is a remarkable example of a biological material that displays unique mechanical characters of both soft elasticity and stretchability. However, mimicking these features has been absent in photoresponsive soft matters. Here, we present one synthetic ABA-type triblock copolymer consisting of polystyrene as end blocks and one photoresponsive azopolymer as the middle block, which is stiffness at room temperature and shows a phototunable transition to soft elastics athermally. We have synthesized an elastics we term “photoinduced soft elastomer,” where the photo-evocable soft midblock of azopolymer and the glassy polystyrene domains act as elastic matrix and physical cross-linking junctions, respectively. On the basis of the photoswitchable transformation between stiffness and elasticity at room temperature, we demonstrated precise control over nanopatterns on nonplanar substrates especially adaptable in the human skin and fabrication of packaged perovskite solar cells, enabling the simple, human-friendly, and controllable approach to be promising for mechanically adaptable soft photonic and electronic packaging applications.

Nanoscale strain–stress mapping for a thermoplastic elastomer revealed using a combination of in situ atomic force microscopy nanomechanics and Delaunay triangulation

AbstractStyrene block copolymer‐type thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) has a nanoscale phase‐separated structure and undergoes topological changes in response to external stimuli. A typical example is the macroscopic stress relaxation in TPEs while maintaining the elongated state. To understand the influence of structural changes on the mechanical properties of TPEs, in this work, we evaluate a styrene‐ethylene‐butylene‐styrene‐type TPE using an in situ atomic force microscopy (AFM)‐based nanomechanical approach while maintaining 50% strain. According to AFM deformation and modulus maps of the same area at different relaxation times, it is found that the hard polystyrene domain splits in the early stage of relaxation, resulting in a constant rise in the number. At the same time, the modulus of the soft poly(ethylene‐butylene) matrix continues to decrease. Both the domain number and matrix modulus stabilize in the late stage of the relaxation. Further finite element analysis explains the above phenomenon. The distribution of stresses and strains under the material microscopically evolves toward homogenization with relaxation time. The internal stress network achieves an elastic behavior after sufficient relaxation at the expense of hard‐domain splitting.

Synthesis of poly(styrene-N-hydroxymethyl acrylamide) microspheres and their application in patterned photonic crystals

In order to achieve bright and durable structural colors, the poly(styrene-N-hydroxymethyl acrylamide) nanospheres with self-crosslinking property were used as structural units to construct patterned photonic crystals. In this article, we thoroughly explore the effect of synthesis factors on particle sizes and monodispersity of poly(styrene-N-hydroxymethyl acrylamide) nanospheres, with the characterization of the performance of prepared poly(styrene-N-hydroxymethyl acrylamide) nanospheres. Then the color effects and durability of structural colors produced from poly(styrene-N-hydroxymethyl acrylamide) photonic crystals were characterized and evaluated. The results showed that the monodisperse poly(styrene-N-hydroxymethyl acrylamide) nanospheres with particle sizes ranging between about 200∼320 nm could be synthesized. The prepared poly(styrene-N-hydroxymethyl acrylamide) nanospheres exhibit typical core-shell structure, in which the hydrophobic polystyrene domain is mainly located on the core, and there is a thin shell mainly rich in hydrophilic Poly(N-hydroxymethyl acrylamide) covering the polystyrene core. Moreover, the poly(styrene-N-hydroxymethyl acrylamide) nanospheres have self-crosslinking properties, which could be confirmed by the thermogravimetric curve. Furthermore, the photonic crystals constructed by prepared poly(styrene-N-hydroxymethyl acrylamide) nanospheres still present vivid and durable structural colors after friction, bending, washing and soaking tests. Specifically, the patterned photonic crystals can be constructed on photo paper, plastic board and fabrics, and the resultant structural colors present significantly iridescent effects. The research results can provide strategic support for the practical application of photonic crystals with structural colors.

Visualization of Macrophase Separation and Transformation in Immiscible Polymer Blends

Visualization of Macrophase Separation and Transformation in Immiscible Polymer Blends

Polymerization-induced microphase separation of polymer-polyoxometalate nanocomposites for anhydrous solid state electrolytes

Solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) with high ionic conductivity, mechanical stability, and high thermal stability, as well as the stringent requirement of application in high-temperature fuel cells and lithium-ion batteries is receiving increasing attention. Polymer nanocomposites (PNCs), combining the advantages of inorganic materials with those of polymeric materials, offer numerous opportunities for SSEs design. In this work, we report a facile and general one-pot approach based on polymerization-induced microphase separation (PIMS) to generate PNCs with bi-continuous microphases. This synthetic strategy transforms a homogeneous liquid precursor consisting of polyoxometalates (POMs, H3PW12O40, Li7[V15O36(CO3)]), poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) macro-chain-transfer agent, styrene and divinylbenzene monomers, into a robust and transparent monolith. The resulting POMs are uniformly dispersed in the PEG block (PEG/POM) to form a conducting pathway that successfully realizes the effective transfer of protons and lithium ions, while the highly cross-linked polystyrene domains (P(S-co-DVB)) as mechanical support provide outstanding mechanical properties and thermal stability. As the POM loading ratio up to 35 wt%, the proton conductivity of nanocomposite reaches as high as 5.99 × 10-4 S/cm at 100 °C in anhydrous environment, which effectively promotes proton transfer under extreme environments. This study broadens the application of fuel cells and lithium-ion batteries in extreme environments.