Ultra-Thin Polymer Membranes: A Breakthrough for Next-Generation Energy Storage

Ultra-thin polymer membranes

In a pioneering advancement for both membrane separation technologies and energy storage systems, scientists at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP), part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, have unveiled a new class of ultra-thin polymeric membranes that could revolutionize how ions are transported at the nanoscale.

Their approach, described in a recent paper published in Nature Chemical Engineering, overcomes one of the most persistent limitations in polymer membrane technology — the delicate trade-off between permeability and selectivity. By employing a novel interfacial polymer cross-linking technique, the team fabricated membranes just 3 μm thick that deliver exceptional performance in ion-selective separation.

The Science Behind the Innovation

Unlike conventional membranes formed through phase separation — which often suffer from disordered pore structures — these new membranes utilize a stable covalently cross-linked nanoscale layer constructed atop a polymer support. This creates a quasi-ordered network of angstrom-sized pores ranging between 1.8 and 5.4 Å, enabling precise ion sieving.

This architecture allows the membranes to transport ions rapidly while maintaining a high degree of selectivity. When implemented in vanadium flow batteries, the membranes enabled operations at high current densities (up to 300 mA/cm2) and achieved an energy efficiency of 82.38% — a major improvement over conventional technologies.

Wider Applications and Impact

The implications of this research go far beyond energy storage. The membranes' thin profile and tunable morphology open possibilities in water purification, fuel cells, and biochemical sensing. The ability to adjust thickness and porosity through cross-linking chemistry provides a platform for highly customizable membrane design tailored to specific industrial needs.

Moreover, the simplicity of the fabrication process supports scalability and commercial adoption, aligning well with the ongoing push toward sustainable and high-performance materials for clean energy infrastructure.

Conclusion

By solving the permeability-selectivity bottleneck with a clever and reproducible design, this breakthrough from DICP is poised to influence a broad spectrum of material science applications. It redefines what polymer membranes can achieve and sets a new benchmark for future research in separation science and energy technologies.

Read the full article here: https://phys.org/news/2025-06-ultra-thin-polymer-membranes-enable.html

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