Polymeric proton exchange membranes (PEMs) are vital components of fuel cells, as they enable the transport of protons while preventing the crossover of fuel and oxidant gases. However, conventional PEMs have limitations such as low use temperature, low proton conductivity, and poor mechanical and thermal stability. Various types of nanoparticles have been investigated to modify PEMs to overcome these limitations, as they can increase proton conductivity, mechanical strength, thermal stability, and chemical resistance. Metal oxides such as SiO2 and TiO2 have been shown to improve the proton conductivity and mechanical properties of PEMs. Carbon-based materials such as graphene oxide have been found to enhance both the proton conductivity and thermal stability of PEMs. The use of nanoparticles in modified polymeric PEMs for fuel cells shows excellent potential for improving the performance and durability of fuel cells. Future research should focus on developing cost-effective and scalable methods for nanoparticle synthesis and incorporation into PEMs. Polybenzimidazole (PBI) is the most widely studied high-temperature polymer for preparing composite PEMs. This review provides the recent development of PBI composite PEMs modified with different types of nanoparticles.
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