Nanocomposite Membranes for Electrolysis, Fuel Cells, Batteries, and Desalination

A special issue of Membranes (ISSN 2077-0375). This special issue belongs to the section "Membrane Applications for Energy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2026 | Viewed by 861

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
School of Engineering, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
Interests: capacitive deionization; electrochemical lithium extraction; nanocomposite membranes

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Nanocomposite membranes have emerged as a pivotal technology, driving innovations in critical energy and water applications, including electrolysis, fuel cells, batteries, and desalination. By integrating tailored nanostructures (e.g., nanoparticles, nanotubes, and 2D materials) into polymeric or inorganic matrices, these membranes achieve enhanced ion conductivity, mechanical robustness, chemical stability, and selectivity—essential for improving the efficiency and durability of electrochemical devices. 

In fuel cells, nanocomposite membranes address key limitations, including proton conductivity decay at low humidity, methanol crossover in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs), and chemical degradation under oxidative stress. For batteries (e.g., lithium-ion, flow, or lithium-sulfur), they enable critical advances in dendrite suppression, ion-selective transport, and electrolyte stability, directly impacting energy density, cycle life, and safety. 

This Special Issue invites original research and reviews focused on nanocomposite membranes for electrolysis, fuel cells, batteries, and desalination. Topics include but are not limited to the following:

  1. Synthesis and characterization of novel nanocomposite membranes with tailored properties (e.g., proton/ion conductivity, gas barrier, or selectivity);
  2. Structure–performance relationships under operational conditions (e.g., fuel cell humidity cycling or battery charge/discharge stresses);
  3. Advanced fabrication techniques (e.g., electrospinning or layer-by-layer assembly) to optimize membrane morphology and functionality;
  4. Strategies to enhance durability and cost-effectiveness (e.g., hybrid nanomaterials, interface engineering, or recycling);
  5. Performance evaluation and mechanistic studies (e.g., in situ diagnostics or modeling of transport phenomena).

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Lu Guo
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • nanocomposite membranes
  • electrolysis
  • fuel cells
  • batteries
  • desalination
  • electrochemical systems
  • membrane characterization

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

33 pages, 3946 KB  
Article
Characterization of a Commercial Anion-Exchange Membrane Modified with Electrosynthesized Polyaniline Deposits at Different Temperatures
by Luis Manuel Álvarez Cerda, Antonio Montes-Rojas and Luz María Torres Rodríguez
Membranes 2026, 16(2), 53; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes16020053 - 30 Jan 2026
Viewed by 509
Abstract
Phenomena associated with an ion-exchange membrane (IEM) in contact with an ionic solution, such as its selectivity and ionic transport, commonly occur when an ion approaches the membrane surface. Because of this, if a change occurs in the IEM/Solution interfacial region, then it [...] Read more.
Phenomena associated with an ion-exchange membrane (IEM) in contact with an ionic solution, such as its selectivity and ionic transport, commonly occur when an ion approaches the membrane surface. Because of this, if a change occurs in the IEM/Solution interfacial region, then it is expected that these processes will be affected. For example, if the IEM surface is modified with an electronic conducting polymer (ECP), then its selectivity and the phenomena associated with ionic transport will change. These changes can be quantified by parameters such as the permselectivity, the contact angle, and others, and are associated with the hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance of its surface. This work reports the characterization of commercial anion-exchange membrane samples modified voltammetrically with polyaniline (PAni) obtained at different temperatures (10, 15, and 20 °C). Among the main results obtained, it was found that with an increase in synthesis temperature of the PAni, the membrane’s permselectivity will increase from 0.757 to 0.782 to 0.808. While contrary behavior is observed in the case of the contact angle, since an increase in the synthesis temperature will cause a greater hydrophilic character when going from 67° to 53° to 50°. According to this work, these trends in the properties of the modified membranes are related to the morphological characteristics of PAni deposits conferred by the variation in the synthesis temperature. Full article
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