Abstract: As an important carrier of energy structure transformation,proton exchange membrane fuel cell is restricted by the development of electrolyte membrane in terms of its performance,life and cost. Inorganic proton conductors prepared from mineral materials are considered as ideal electrolyte materials because of their low cost and excellent performance compared with traditional polymer proton exchange membranes. However,the simultaneous realization of high proton conductivity and chemical stability in inorganic proton conductors is a challenging task. In this review,the proton conduction process in electrolytes,the conduction mechanism,and the determination of the conduction mechanism are discussed in detail,and the relationship between the structure of matter and proton conduction is clarified. Various inorganic electrolyte materials with proton conduction properties are discussed in detail,and improvement measures are proposed to overcome the inherent defects of various proton conductors. The rapid development of oxides as the main type of inorganic proton conductors plays a key role in promoting the widespread commercialization of fuel cells. Therefore,this review concludes with a three-pronged outlook on the development of oxide-based inorganic proton conductors:① Interfacial engineering,to study and optimize the structure and properties of oxide interfaces to improve proton transport rates;② Multifunctional composites,to combine oxides with other materials to form composites for better proton conductivity and densification;③ Development of new low-cost sintering technologies,to reduce the cost of non-conventional sintering technologies,such as discharge plasma sintering,microwave sintering,and other unconventional sintering technologies,by means such as the introduction of artificial intelligence and the development of new types of sintering media.

Key words: mineral materials,fuel cell,inorganic proton conductor,proton conduction mechanism