Membrane Uptake Research Articles

Rho Family GTPases and Rho GEFs in Glucose Homeostasis.

Dysregulation of glucose homeostasis leading to metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes is the cause of an increasing world health crisis. New intriguing roles have emerged for Rho family GTPases and their Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) activators in the regulation of glucose homeostasis. This review summates the current knowledge, focusing in particular on the roles of Rho GEFs in the processes of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion by pancreatic β cells and insulin-stimulated glucose uptake into skeletal muscle and adipose tissues. We discuss the ten Rho GEFs that are known so far to regulate glucose homeostasis, nine of which are in mammals, and one is in yeast. Among the mammalian Rho GEFs, P-Rex1, Vav2, Vav3, Tiam1, Kalirin and Plekhg4 were shown to mediate the insulin-stimulated translocation of the glucose transporter GLUT4 to the plasma membrane and/or insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in skeletal muscle or adipose tissue. The Rho GEFs P-Rex1, Vav2, Tiam1 and β-PIX were found to control the glucose-stimulated release of insulin by pancreatic β cells. In vivo studies demonstrated the involvement of the Rho GEFs P-Rex2, Vav2, Vav3 and PDZ-RhoGEF in glucose tolerance and/or insulin sensitivity, with deletion of these GEFs either contributing to the development of metabolic syndrome or protecting from it. This research is in its infancy. Considering that over 80 Rho GEFs exist, it is likely that future research will identify more roles for Rho GEFs in glucose homeostasis.

Feasibility of Composite sPEEK-PVA as Proton Exchange Membranes

The present work deal with the fabrication and characterizations of composite membranes composed of sulfonated poly (ether ether ketone) with polyvinyl alcohol and reinforced with cesium phosphotungstic acid (Cs-HPW), graphene oxide (GO), and silica-carbon nanotube (SCNT). Compared to the blank sPEEK-PVA membrane, the uptake of composite membranes in water varies at around 30-50%, while the swelling ratio is increased. The addition of Cs-HPW, GO, and SCNT reduces the tensile strength and methanol permeability. The ionic exchange capacity slightly varies at around 0.48-0.70 meq/g. From the above studies’ viewpoint, the prepared composite membranes still need to be reviewed so that these membranes are feasible as proton exchange membranes.

The Antimicrobial Peptide Gramicidin S Enhances Membrane Adsorption and Ion Pore Formation Potency of Chemotherapy Drugs in Lipid Bilayers.

We recently published two novel findings where we found the chemotherapy drugs (CDs) thiocolchicoside (TCC) and taxol to induce toroidal type ion pores and the antimicrobial peptide gramicidin S (GS) to induce transient defects in model membranes. Both CD pores and GS defects were induced under the influence of an applied transmembrane potential (≈100 mV), which was inspected using the electrophysiology record of membrane currents (ERMCs). In this article, I address the regulation of the membrane adsorption and pore formation of CDs due to GS-induced possible alterations of lipid bilayer physical properties. In ERMCs, low micromolar (≥1 μM) GS concentrations in the aqueous phase were found to cause an induction of defects in lipid bilayers, but nanomolar (nM) concentration GS did nothing. For the binary presence of CDs and GS in the membrane-bathing aqueous phase, the TCC pore formation potency is found to increase considerably due to nM concentration GS in buffer. This novel result resembles our recently reported finding that due to the binary aqueous presence of two AMPs (gramicidin A or alamethicin and GS), the pore or defect-forming potency of either AMP increases considerably. To reveal the underlying molecular mechanisms, the influence of GS (0–400 nM) on the quantitative liposome (membrane) adsorption of CD molecules, colchicine and TCC, was tested. I used the recently patented direct detection method, which helps detect the membrane active agents directly at the membrane in the mole fraction relative to its concentrations in aqueous phase. We find that GS, at concentrations known to do nothing to the lipid bilayer electrical barrier properties in ERMCs, increases the membrane adsorption (membrane uptake) of CDs considerably. This phenomenological finding along with the GS effects on CD-induced membrane conductance increase helps predict an important conclusion. The binary presence of AMPs alongside CDs in the lipid membrane vicinity may work toward enhancing the physical adsorption and pore formation potency of CDs in lipid bilayers. This may help understand why CDs cause considerable cytotoxicity.

LRP1 mediates the IGF-1-induced GLUT1 expression on the cell surface and glucose uptake in M\xfcller glial cells

Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1) is involved in the normal development and survival of retinal cells. Low-density lipoprotein Receptor-related Protein-1 (LRP1) plays a key role on the regulation of several membrane proteins, such as the IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R). In brain astrocytes, LRP1 interact with IGF-1R and the glucose transporter type 1 (GLUT1), regulating the glucose uptake in these cells. Although GLUT1 is expressed in retinal Müller Glial Cells (MGCs), its regulation is not clear yet. Here, we investigated whether IGF-1 modulates GLUT1 traffic to plasma membrane (PM) and glucose uptake, as well as the involvement of LRP1 in this process in the human Müller glial-derived cell line (MIO-M1). We found that IGF-1 produced GLUT1 translocation to the PM, in a time-dependent manner involving the intracellular signaling activation of MAPK/ERK and PI3K/Akt pathways, and generated a significant glucose uptake. Moreover, we found a molecular association between LRP1 and GLUT1, which was significantly reduced by IGF-1. Finally, cells treated with specific siRNA for LRP1 showed an impaired GLUT1 expression on PM and decreased glucose uptake induced by IGF-1. We conclude that IGF-1 regulates glucose homeostasis in MGCs involving the expression of LRP1.

Synthesis and characterization of piperazine containing polyaspartimides blended polysulfone membranes for fuel cell applications

A new polyaspartimide was synthesized via a Michael addition reaction of an aromatic bismaleimide (BMI) with aminoethylpiperazine (AEP) at 1:1 molar ratio. IR and NMR spectral techniques were used for the characterization of the newly synthesized polyaspartimide (PAI). The copolymer, piperazine containing polyaspartimide, was then blended with polysulfone (Psf) at 3 and 6 wt % by dissolving in the solvent DMF. The blend membranes are studied for their water uptake, ion exchange capacity, swelling ratio, chemical stability, morphology, and proton conductivity. It is observed from morphological studies that the porous structure of polysulfone has been retained even after the incorporation of PAI. The percentage water uptake of membranes of different compositions reveals that the blending of copolymer PAI with polysulfone enhances the water uptake nature of the membrane. The chemical stability on membranes revealed that Psf/PAI-6% has a degradation of about 2.26% which is much lower than that of neat Psf membranes (3.43%), higher chemical stability. The neat Psf found to have an IEC value of 8.045 mmol/g and the IEC values increase with the addition of PAI. The highest value of IEC is obtained for the 6% PAI loaded Psf blend membrane with a value of 8.235 mmol/g. The study on the capacity of proton exchange has proved that the copolymer blend membrane is given higher proton conductivity to the extent of 4.09 × 10-4 S cm-1.

The influence of poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) modification on the transport properties and fuel cell performance of Nafion‐117 membranes

AbstractNafion‐117/PEDOT composite membranes were synthesized by in situ chemical polymerization of 3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) using ammonium persulfate as an oxidant. The polymerization of EDOT in Nafion membranes for various EDOT/oxidant treatment sequences was studied for the first time. PEDOT introduction leads to a slight decrease in both the ion‐exchange capacity and water uptake of the composite membranes, as well as to an increase in cationic transport. Membranes initially treated with an oxidant exhibit better conductivity and lower hydrogen permeability. The effect of both modification of Nafion‐117 membranes by PEDOT and hot‐pressing of hydrogen‐oxygen membrane‐electrode assemblies (MEAs) on the performance of proton‐exchange membrane fuel cells was studied. The maximum power density of the fabricated MEAs increases 1.5‐fold: from 510 (for a pristine Nafion‐117 membrane) to 810 mW cm−2 (for a membrane modified by PEDOT). The current density at a voltage of 0.4 V reaches 1248 and 2246 mA cm−2, respectively.

Fosmidomycin transport through the phosphate‐specific porins OprO and OprP of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

The Gram-negative bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen, responsible for many hospital-acquired infections. The bacterium is quite resistant toward many antibiotics, in particular because of the fine-tuned permeability of its outer membrane (OM). General diffusion outer membrane pores are quite rare in this organism. Instead, its OM contains many substrate-specific porins. Their expression is varying according to growth conditions and virulence. Phosphate limitations, as well as pathogenicity factors, result in the induction of the two mono- and polyphosphate-specific porins, OprP and OprO, respectively, together with an inner membrane uptake mechanism and a periplasmic binding protein. These outer membrane channels could serve as outer membrane pathways for the uptake of phosphonates. Among them are not only herbicides, but also potent antibiotics, such as fosfomycin and fosmidomycin. In this study, we investigated the interaction between OprP and OprO and fosmidomycin in detail. We could demonstrate that fosmidomycin is able to bind to the phosphate-specific binding site inside the two porins. The inhibition of chloride conductance of OprP and OprO by fosmidomycin is considerably less than that of phosphate or diphosphate, but it can be measured in titration experiments of chloride conductance and also in single-channel experiments. The results suggest that fosmidomycin transport across the OM of P. aeruginosa occurs through OprP and OprO. Our data with the ones already known in the literature show that phosphonic acid-containing antibiotics are in general good candidates to treat the infections of P. aeruginosa at the very beginning through a favorable OM transport system.

On the Conductivity of Proton-Exchange Membranes Based on Multiblock Copolymers of Sulfonated Polysulfone and Polyphenylsulfone: An Experimental and Modeling Study.

The effect of relative humidity (RH) and degree of sulfonation () on the ionic conductivity and water uptake of proton-exchange membranes based on sulfonated multiblock copolymers composed of polysulfone (PSU) and polyphenylsulfone (PPSU) is examined experimentally and numerically. Three membranes with a different and ion-exchange capacity are analyzed. The heterogeneous structure of the membranes shows a random distribution of sulfonated (hydrophilic) and non-sulfonated (hydrophobic) domains, whose proton conductivity is modeled based on percolation theory. The mesoscopic model solves simplified Nernst–Planck and charge conservation equations on a random cubic network. Good agreement is found between the measured ionic conductivity and water uptake and the model predictions. The ionic conductivity increases with RH due to both the growth of the hydrated volume available for conduction and the decrease of the tortuosity of ionic transport pathways. Moreover, the results show that the ionic conductivity increases nonlinearly with , experiencing a strong rise when the is varied from 0.45 to 0.70, even though the water uptake of the membranes remains nearly the same. In contrast, the increase of the ionic conductivity between and is significantly lower, but the water uptake increases sharply. This is explained by the lack of microphase separation of both copolymer blocks when the is exceedingly high. Encouragingly, the copolymer membranes demonstrate a similar performance to Nafion under well hydrated conditions, which can be further optimized by a combination of numerical modeling and experimental characterization to develop new-generation membranes with better properties.

Fabrication and characterization of a novel Nafion‐PTFE composite hollow fiber membrane

AbstractNafion has been widely used in electrochemistry, but there are only a few reports on its application in other fields, such as, gas separation, even though it exhibits good performance. The primary reason for that is the high cost of Nafion and making a composite membrane with a thin Nafion layer is a potential solution to solve this problem. In this study, a novel Nafion‐PTFE composite hollow fiber membrane, which had a thin (~5 μm) and detect‐free Nafion layer on PTFE surface, without Nafion filling substrate pores was developed, differing from the reported ones in which Nafion resin was required to impregnate into porous PTFE membrane as thorough as possible to ensure the ion conductivity and operation stability. The surface morphology, crystallite, solubility in ethanol/water mixture, and water uptake of membranes were systemically investigated. The gas permeance tests were also conducted. The permeances of different gasses of prepared composite membranes were significantly enhanced compared with the commercial membranes due to the decrease of Nafion thicknesses, while the selectivity remained the same, verifying the detect‐free structure of Nafion layer on PTFE substrate. This study provided a good reference for the preparation and application of low‐cost Nafion composite membranes.

Quaternized Chitosan-Based Anion Exchange Membrane Composited with Quaternized Poly(vinylbenzyl chloride)/Polysulfone Blend.

An efficient and effective process for the production of high-performance anion exchange membranes (AEMs) is necessary for the commercial application of fuel cells. Therefore, in this study, quaternized poly vinylbenzyl chloride (QVBC) and polysulfone were composited with glycidyltrimethylammonium-chloride-quaternized chitosan (QCS) at different ratios (viz., 1 wt %, 5 wt %, and 10 wt %). The structure and morphology of the membranes were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. Further, the water uptake, swelling ratio, and ionic conductivities of the composite membrane at different wt % of QCS were evaluated. The membrane with 5% QCS exhibited an ionic conductivity of 49.6 mS/cm and 130 mS/cm at 25 °C and 70 °C, respectively.

Novel bilayer electrospun poly(caprolactone)/ silk fibroin/ strontium carbonate fibrous nanocomposite membrane for guided bone regeneration

AbstractIn this study, a thin layer with a thickness of about 120 μm of poly(caprolactone) (PCL) was fabricated by electrospinning method. Then, a fibrous nanocomposite composed of PCL/silk fibroin/strontium carbonate (PCL/SF/SrCO3) was electrospun on the prepared layer. Then, they were characterized. The mechanical properties, water uptake, degradation rate, wettability, porosity, and bioactivity of the electrospun membrane were scrutinized in vitro. Cytotoxicity of the samples was assessed by using osteoblast‐like cells (SAOS‐2) and L929 fibroblasts. Moreover, the cell adhesion, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and calcium deposition through alizarin red staining were conducted. Results revealed that the bilayer structure doubled the optimum mechanical properties and the addition of SrCO3 up to 15%–20% increased ALP activity, calcium deposition, and bioactivity. According to the results, the nanofibrous bilayer membrane containing 20 wt% SrCO3, 20 wt% SF, and 60 wt% PCL was chosen as the optimum sample. Therefore, this membrane could be applied in guided bone regeneration (GBR).

Avidin Localizations in pH-Responsive Polymersomes for Probing the Docking of Biotinylated (Macro)molecules in the Membrane and Lumen.

To mimic organelles and cells and to construct next-generation therapeutics, asymmetric functionalization and location of proteins for artificial vesicles is thoroughly needed to emphasize the complex interplay of biological units and systems through spatially separated and spatiotemporal controlled actions, release, and communications. For the challenge of vesicle (= polymersome) construction, the membrane permeability and the location of the cargo are important key characteristics that determine their potential applications. Herein, an in situ and post loading process of avidin in pH-responsive and photo-cross-linked polymersomes is developed and characterized. First, loading efficiency, main location (inside, lumen, outside), and release of avidin under different conditions have been validated, including the pH-stable presence of avidin in polymersomes' membrane outside and inside. This advantageous approach allows us to selectively functionalize the outer and inner membranes as well as the lumen with several bio(macro)molecules, generally suited for the construction of asymmetrically functionalized artificial organelles. In addition, a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) effect was used to study the permeability or uptake of the polymersome membrane against a broad range of biotinylated (macro)molecules (different typology, sizes, and shapes) under different conditions.

Double-Crosslinked Polyurethane Acrylate for Highly Conductive and Stable Polymer Electrolyte.

High ionic conductivity and good stability are major factors that influence the use of polymer electrolytes in electrochemical storage and conversion devices. In this study, we present polyurethane acrylate (PUA) membranes having enhanced ionic conductivity and swelling stability by double crosslinking the polyurethane (PU) and polyacrylate (PA) compartments. The crosslinking agent concentration was varied to control their mechanical properties, swelling stability, and ionic conductivity. Under optimum conditions, the electrolyte uptake of the double-crosslinked PUA membranes without notable defects was 245%. The maximum ionic conductivity of these membranes reached 9.6 mS/cm, which was higher than those with respect to most of the previously reported PUA- or PU-based polymer electrolytes.

Sulfonated poly(fluorenyl ether ketone)/Sulfonated α-zirconium phosphate Nanocomposite membranes for proton exchange membrane fuel cells

Sulfonated poly(aryl ether) (SPAE) membranes have attracted significant attention as polymer electrolyte membranes due to their superior mechanical properties and low cost. However, the poor chemical stability and methanol barrier property of SPAE membranes limit the fuel cell performance. It is necessary to improve the proton conductivity, methanol barrier property, and stability of SPAE for high-performance fuel cells. Herein, a novel proton conductive filler, sulfonated α-zirconium phosphate (ZrP-SO3H), was synthesized and introduced to sulfonated poly(fluorenyl ether ketone) (SPFEK) to fabricate advanced nanocomposite membranes. The oxidative stability, methanol permeability, water uptake, and proton conductivity of the as-prepared nanocomposite membranes were characterized. The nanocomposite membranes exhibited comparable performance as Nafion® 117 membrane in H2/O2 fuel cell and higher performance than Nafion® 117 in direct methanol fuel cell. These results suggest that ZrP-SO3H-doped SPFEK membrane is a promising candidate as a proton exchange membrane in high-performance fuel cells.

Effects of State of Charge on the Physical Characteristics of V(IV)/V(V) Electrolytes and Membrane for the All Vanadium Flow Battery

The VO2+/VO2+ redox couple commonly employed on the positive terminal of the all-vanadium redox flow battery was investigated at various states of charge (SOC) and H2SO4 supporting electrolyte concentrations. Electron paramagnetic resonance was used to investigate the VO2+ concentration and translational and rotational diffusion coefficient (DT, DR) in both bulk solution and Nafion membranes. Values of DT and DR were relatively unaffected by SOC and on the order of 10−10 m2s−1. Cyclic voltammetry measurements revealed that no significant changes to the redox mechanism were observed as the state of charge increased; however, the mechanism does appear to be affected by H2SO4 concentration. Electron transfer rate (k0) increased by an order of magnitude (10−6 ms−1 to 10−8 ms−1) for each H2SO4 concentrations investigated (1, 3 and 5 M). Analysis of cyclic voltammetry switching currents suggests that the technique might be suitable for fast determination of state of charge if the system is well calibrated. Membrane uptake and permeability measurements show that vanadium absorption and crossover is more dependent on both acid and vanadium concentration than state of charge. Vanadium diffusion in the membrane is about an order of magnitude slower (~10−11 m2s−1) than in solution (~10−10 m2s−1).

Synthesis and electrochemical investigations of ABPBI grafted montmorillonite based polymer electrolyte membranes for PEMFC applications

A series of novel poly (2,5-benzimidazole)-grafted montmorillonite (ABPBI-MMT) and sulfonated poly vinyl alcohol (SPVA) composite membranes have been prepared via solution casting method which were further doped with phosphoric acid. The structure of composite membranes has been studied using FTIR, XRD and SEM. The effect of ABPBI-MMT on the water uptake (WU), proton conductivity, mechanical and chemical stability of the resultant membranes has been examined before and after phosphoric acid (PA) doping. This study flaunted that the introduction of ABPBI-MMT into SPVA decreased the WU of pristine polymer matrix as a result of acid-base interaction between the sulfonic acid and benzimidazole groups. However, after PA doping, the WU of the membranes has tremendously boosted. Initially, the influence of ABPBI grafted clay on proton conductivities of SPVA membranes has been studied along with the analysis of PA doping effect on membrane conductivity with fuel cell performance. Furthermore, the proton conductivities of PA doped, and un-doped composite membranes have been studied at high temperatures ranging from 100 to 140 °C under 0% RH. The PA-doped composite membranes show enhanced conductivity values (0.0075 Scm−1) at 140 °C even with 0% RH. The maximum proton conductivity of 0.157 Scm−1 and peak power density of 1100 mWcm−2 have been obtained at 140 °C under 100% RH with 15PBMPP composite membranes. These results indicate that the newly prepared PA-doped PEMs are an excellent candidates for high-temperature PEM fuel cell application.

H2SO4-doped polybenzimidazole membranes for hydrogen production with acid-alkaline amphoteric water electrolysis

Acid-alkaline amphoteric water electrolysis is considered as a potential approach for efficient hydrogen production at industrial scale; however, to date synthesized or post-functionized polymer for constructing membranes can hardly meet the requirement of either electrolysis performance or durability aspects. Herein, we synthesize a series of H2SO4-doped PBI-based membranes, including poly (2,2’-(m-phenylene)-5,5’-bibenzimidazole) (m-PBI) and poly (4,4’-diphenylether-5,5’-bibenzimidazole) (OPBI), for application in acid-alkaline amphoteric water electrolysis system. The H2SO4 doping content, water uptake, swelling ratio, chemical durability and proton conductivity of m-PBI and OPBI membranes are characterized and compared with the perfluorinated sulfonated membrane (Nafion 115). Specifically, the m-PBI membrane doped in 3.0 M H2SO4 attains a current density of 800 mA cm−2 at cell voltage of 2.0 V at 60 °C when applied in an amphoteric water electrolysis, which is superior to the performance of commercial units. Moreover, such system reveals a long-term stability when operating at the current density of 100 mA cm−2 for 40 h, with an energy consumption of 3.35 kWh m−3 H2, offering a possibility for low-energy consumption and scaled hydrogen production technology.

(−)-Tetrahydroberberrubine∙acetate accelerates antioxidant potential and inhibits food associated Bacillus cereus in rice

A protoberberine alkaloid, (−)-tetrahydroberberrubine∙acetate (THBA) was assessed for its antioxidant potential and ability to inhibit the growth of a food hazard bacterium Bacillus cereus in vitro and in situ. THBA displayed significant and dose-dependent cellular antioxidant potential against hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress in NIH 3T3 fibroblast cells and decreased the ROS levels as well as increased the expression levels of SOD1 and SOD2 enzymes. The inhibitory spectrum of THBA confirmed its mechanistic role in the disruption of the membrane integrity of B. cereus as evidenced by the results of time-inactivation, cell membrane integrity, NPN membrane uptake, membrane potential, and electron microscopy analyses. Moreover, THBA inhibited biofilm formation by B. cereus and disrupted pre-established biofilms on a glass surface. Furthermore, THBA was also able to inhibit B. cereus in raw rice with a significant amount of reduction in CFU counts, suggesting its potential role as a natural antioxidant and antimicrobial agent.

Nanofiber based hybrid sulfonated silica/P(VDF-TrFE) membranes for PEM fuel cells

In this study, novel nanofiber based-hybrid proton conducting membranes for polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells were fabricated via electrospinning method using sulfonated silica particles (S–SiO2) as a functional additive. Here, poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-trifluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE)) was used as the carrier polymer during electrospinning step for the fabrication of PEM fuel cell membrane structure for the first time in literature. The effect of electrospinning conditions, i.e. namely, solvent, carrier polymer, electrospinning voltage, relative humidity, and flow rate on the uniformity of the resultant electrospun mats, and the average fiber diameter, respectively, were investigated in detail. Furthermore, electrospinning was conducted with poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) as the carrier polymer to compare with (P(VDF-TrFE)) as well. S–SiO2 particles were homogeneously distributed along the carrier polymer without any noticeable bead formation. After electrospinning, fiber mats were transformed into dense membranes via hot-pressing and subsequent Nafion® impregnation. After obtaining the densified membrane, proton conductivity, water uptake and mechanical strength of the hybrid membranes were examined and reported as well. Consequently, hybrid membrane with P(VDF-TrFE) carrier exhibited a superior proton conductivity (102 mS/cm) benchmarked with PVDF carrier polymer containing membrane (43 mS/cm) and solution casted Nafion® membrane (95 mS/cm) at the same conditions.

Nanozirconia polymer composite porous membrane prepared by sustainable immersion precipitation method for use as electrolyte in flexible supercapacitors

We report ZrO2-polymer nanocomposite porous membranes prepared by one step phase inversion method with the aim to study a) the effect of ZrO2 nanofiller on the physiochemical and electrochemical properties of the membranes, and b) the viability of the optimized membrane as an electrolyte in energy storage devices. The interaction of ZrO2 nanoparticles with the polymer and liquid electrolyte has been investigated in details using scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The microporous structure, liquid electrolyte uptake and ionic conductivity of the nanocomposite membranes have been found to be affected by presence of ZrO2 nanoparticles. The electrolyte membrane with 3 wt.% ZrO2 shows the highest ionic conductivity of ∼4.4 mS cm−1 with a liquid electrolyte retention of ∼375 % and electrochemical stability of ∼4.25 V when soaked in a sodium-ion conducting organic electrolyte. The performance of the highest conducting nanocomposite membrane in symmetric electrical double-layer capacitor (EDLC) has been observed to be better as compared to that of un-doped electrolyte membranes. The EDLC fabricated using the optimized electrolyte membrane and activated carbon electrodes exhibits specific capacitance ∼103 F g−1 and is stable up to 50,000 charge–discharge cycles with specific energy ∼10.2 Wh kg−1, specific power ∼14.2 kW kg−1, and Coulombic efficiency ∼ 99.8 %.