Fourfold action of surfactants with superacid head groups: polyoxometalate–silicone nanocomposites as promising candidates for proton-conducting materials

Abstract

Conventional, organic surfactants normally fulfill only one task associated with their amphiphilic character. The situation changes and multifunctionality is granted for surfactants containing inorganic entities, so-called I-SURFs. Here, we demonstrate that an I-SURF with a heteropolyacid head fulfills four tasks at once. It acts as an effective emulsification agent, it catalyzes the polymerization of silicone monomers, it provides proton-conductivity in a PDMS/polyoxometalate hybrid, and it acts as a precursor for a nanostructured WO₃ material.