Radiation-grafted materials for energy conversion and energy storage applications

Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.progpolymsci.2016.05.002

Polymer electrolyte membranes are key components in electrochemical power sources thatare receiving ever-growing demand for the development of more efficient, reliable and envi-ronmentally friendly energy systems. Ongoing research is focusing on materials with highionic conductivity and stability, at low cost. Among different methods, radiation-inducedgrafting is a universal attractive method for preparation of polymer electrolyte materialswith tunable properties for various energy conversion and energy storage applications.This review addresses recent advances in the application of radiation-induced graftingtechniques for the preparation of polymer electrolyte membranes/separators for emergingelectrochemical devices such as fuel cells, batteries and supercapacitors. The challengesassociated with the current state-of-the-art materials are highlighted, together with newdirections that should be considered for future research