Radiation-grafted materials for energy conversion and energy storage applications

Polymer electrolyte membranes are key components in electrochemical power sources that are receiving ever-growing demand for the development of more efficient, reliable and environmentally friendly energy systems. Ongoing research is focusing on materials with high ionic conductivity and stability, at low cost. Among different methods, radiation-induced grafting is a universal attractive method for preparation of polymer electrolyte materials with tunable properties for various energy conversion and energy storage applications. This review addresses recent advances in the application of radiation-induced grafting techniques for the preparation of polymer electrolyte membranes/separators for emerging electrochemical devices such as fuel cells, batteries and supercapacitors. The challenges associated with the current state-of-the-art materials are highlighted, together with new directions that should be considered for future research. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.