TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Composition: The inorganic cation exchange material comprises 0.1-30 wt.% and the silica-based material comprises 0.1-70 (preferably 0.1-30) wt.% of the composite electrolyte. The inorganic cation exchange material, the silica-based material and the proton conducting polymer-based material comprise greater than or equal to 90 wt.% of the solids content of the composite electrolyte.Preferred Material: The inorganic cation exchange material is clay, zeolite, hydrous oxide or inorganic salt. The clay includes an aluminosilicate-based exchange material consisting of montmorillonite, kaolinite, vermiculite, smectite, hectorite, mica, bentonite, nontronite, beidellite, volkonskoite, saponite, magadite, kenyaite, zeolite, alumina or rutile.Preferred Component: The clay is modified to make it more compatible with organic matrices, a clay modification including exfoliation which helps to separate platelets of inorganic substance. The clay includes a modified montmorillonite consisting of montmorillonite treated with a modifier material consisting of aminododecanoic acid, trimethyl stearate ammonium, octadecylamine or methyl dihydroxy hydrogenated tallow ammonium. The silica-based material includes materials containing one or more of silica, silicate and silicate having an organic element. The silica-based material is either colloidal silica containing discrete spheres of silica or tetraethylorthosilicate.Preferred Method: The composite electrolyte when measured in the dried state consists of the inorganic cation exchange material, the silica-based material and the proton conducting polymer-based material.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Composition: The inorganic cation exchange material comprises 0.1-30 wt.% and the silica-based material comprises 0.1-70 (preferably 0.1-30) wt.% of the composite electrolyte. The inorganic cation exchange material, the silica-based material and the proton conducting polymer-based material comprise greater than or equal to 90 wt.% of the solids content of the composite electrolyte.Preferred Material: The inorganic cation exchange material is clay, zeolite, hydrous oxide or inorganic salt. The clay includes an aluminosilicate-based exchange material consisting of montmorillonite, kaolinite, vermiculite, smectite, hectorite, mica, bentonite, nontronite, beidellite, volkonskoite, saponite, magadite, kenyaite, zeolite, alumina or rutile.Preferred Component: The clay is modified to make it more compatible with organic matrices, a clay modification including exfoliation which helps to separate platelets of inorganic substance. The clay includes a modified montmorillonite consisting of montmorillonite treated with a modifier material consisting of aminododecanoic acid, trimethyl stearate ammonium, octadecylamine or methyl dihydroxy hydrogenated tallow ammonium. The silica-based material includes materials containing one or more of silica, silicate and silicate having an organic element. The silica-based material is either colloidal silica containing discrete spheres of silica or tetraethylorthosilicate.Preferred Method: The composite electrolyte when measured in the dried state consists of the inorganic cation exchange material, the silica-based material and the proton conducting polymer-based material.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Composition: The proton conducting polymer-based material comprises 0.1-99.9 wt.% of the composite electrolyte.Preferred Component: The proton conducting polymer-based material has a linear, branched or network morphology. The proton conducting polymer-based material includes acrylonitrile/butadiene/styrene rubber (ABS), styrene butadiene/acrylate/acetate polymer blends, epoxides or a thermoplastic material. The thermoplastic material is polypropylene, polycarbonate, polystyrene, polyethylene, polyaryl ethers sulfone, poly aryl ether ketone or polysulfone. The proton conducting polymer-based material has a functional group element consisting of sulfonate, phosphate, carbonate, amide or imide, where each such functional group element has proton conducting capabilities. The composite electrolyte further comprises an additive from preservative, thixotropy and viscosity control agent, crosslinking agent, conditioner, plasticizer, water control agent or proton conducting material. EXAMPLE - Before testing, as part of a production method, the formulation involved adding a montmorillonite or modified montmorillonite (1.24 TL) to different samples of sulfonated polyether ether ketone (SPEEK) to create membranes with 0, 3, 5, 7, 10 and 15 wt.% loading of clay. SPEEK and clay mixtures were ground to disperse the clay uniformly and aid in dissolution. Following grinding, the mixture of SPEEK and clay were dissolved in ca. 10 ml distilled N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) by stirring for 2 hours using a magnetic stir bar. Subsequently, the solution of DMF containing dissolved SPEEK and clay were sonicated for 4 minutes. The sonicated solution was stirred and heated to allow the solvent (DMF) to evaporate. Heating and stirring continued until the solution thickened and attained a casting consistency. The polymer and/or composite polymer solution may be prepared by using any of the solvents not limited to N,N-dimethylformamide, N,N-dimethyl acetamide, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone, dimethyl sulfoxide alcohols such as isopropyl alcohol, and t-butyl alcohol. Next, the solution was degassed in a vacuum oven. After vacuum treatment, the resulting solution was poured out onto a clean glass plate and cast into ca. 50 microns thick films using a doctor blade. The curing protocol proceeded as follows: first, the cast film was annealed in a convection oven for 12 hours at 70degreesC; next, the cast film was placed in a vacuum oven for 12 hours at 100degreesC; after which it was subjected to vacuum for approximately 12 hours in an oven which was maintained at 130degreesC, then the cured films were peeled off the glass plate and protonated. The films were stored in ultrapure water until ready for use.