Polyaryletherketone in energy conversion and storage devices – a highly tailorable material with versatile properties

Abstract

AbstractPolymers have been a highly useful class of material for the last few decades owing to their ease of bulk production and fabrication. With the myriad of applications in day to day life, they have also found an important role in energy conversion and storage devices, not just as a housing material of the device but with an important role in the energy conversion process. Among the several polymers used in this area, polyaryletherketones (PAEKs) are one of the most versatile materials owing to their easy tailorability. The ether and ketone groups can be introduced in the main polymer chain in several ways to achieve the desired material properties. The main role of a polymer in an energy conversion device is that of a barrier to avoid the mixing of reactants and to selectively transport ions from one electrode to the other to maintain charge neutrality. The polymer membrane finds application in various electrochemical energy conversion devices such as fuel cells, lithium ion batteries, redox flow batteries, supercapacitors etc. The main focus of this work is to briefly review the extent of development in the PAEKs in various energy conversion and storage devices. © 2021 Society of Industrial Chemistry.