Research progress on polyacrylonitrile-based polymer electrolytes for electrochemical devices: Insight into electrochemical performance

Energy storage constitutes a critical facilitator in advancing the transition toward a more resilient, environmentally sustainable, and economically viable energy ecosystem. Notably, polymer electrolytes (PEs) have emerged as a possible solution to address the safety concerns associated with conventional liquid electrolytes (LEs). Developing PEs with exceptional performance characteristics has been the focus of extensive research. Among the various PEs, those based on polyacrylonitrile (PAN) have emerged as prominent contenders due to their inherent characteristics and the potential to address critical challenges in the field. PAN-based PEs have good qualities like high ambient conductivity, strong mechanical properties, and electrochemical stability, all contributing to their excellent performance. This in-depth review aims to explain the electrochemical performance of PAN-based PEs, including how well they conduct ions, how well they work with electrode materials at the interface, and how stable they are in an electrochemical environment. A close study of how ions move through PAN-based electrolytes, like diffusion and migration, can teach us much about how well they work as ion-conducting media. Besides, it discusses the limitations of PAN-based PEs and their prospects. The results of this review are significant for finding high-performance PAN-based PEs that can be used in energy storage.