ABSTRACT
Ion-exchange membranes have today consolidated applications in several strategic fields (from water desalination to energy conversion), and more progresses can be anticipated in the near future. In this perspective, nanoscience and nanotechnology are playing a key role in bringing performance advances and industrial scale-up opportunities. The development of advanced ionexchange membranes includes (i) the realization of membranes with nanostructured ion channels produced by microphase separation between hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions of a block copolymer; (ii) the production of mixed matrix membranes containing nanostructured functional additives. This work gives an overview of the recent progress and the existing limitations of nanostructured ion-exchange membranes, and opens a window to future perspectives.
