Better Ion Transport Through Polymer Chemistry: Polymer Electrolytes and Ion-conducting Membranes

Electrochemical processes in devices like solar cells, lithium batteries, and water desalination systems rely on safe, efficient, and robust ion transport— all made possible by polymer chemistry!

Learn about this exciting time of progress in the field of polymer electrolytes from Alexei Sokolov (University of Tennessee), who will introduce you to the mechanisms controlling ion transport in polymer electrolytes and describe how new polymer electrolytes with high conductivity at ambient temperatures will enable solid state batteries with significant benefits over current technologies. Then, Michael A. Hickner (Michigan State University, ACS Applied Energy Materials) will zoom out to describe how ion-conducting polymer membranes control the flow of electrolytes in ion transport, including the synthesis of acid- and base-containing polymers, the role of water in conducting protons and hydroxide anions, and other applications for ion-containing polymers.