Proton-conducting membranes based on Nafion® synthesized by using nanodiamond platform

•Synthesis of perfluorinated copolymers with using diamond platform was developed.•Proton-conducting membranes were produced from diamond containing coagulates.•Conductivity was by one order greater than that for analogue of mixed components.•Young's modulus of membranes exceeded this one for pure copolymer by 50 %.•Diamond frame did denser ion channel packing in membranes. New method of emulsion synthesis of Nafion®-type copolymer composition by using nanodiamond platform has been proposed and implemented. Produced polymeric coagulate saturated with diamonds (4.1 % wt.) possessed increased ionic capacity of the copolymer comparative to the analogue without diamonds. SEM patterns for coagulate membranes showed labyrinthine structures with diamonds integrated into copolymer without any segregation. This structuring provided necessary elastic and strength properties of new type membranes for hydrogen fuel cells. In new membranes synchrotron experiments exhibited a network of ionic channels which ensured a proton conductivity by one order of magnitude higher than that for the analogue produced of premade components. [Display omitted]