Polymeric active materials have emerged as a promising class of materials
that will likely lead the way in energy conversion and storage. Materials such as
conductive polymers, polymer composites, and polymer electrolytes are being
processed to enhance energy-delivery devices like batteries, supercapacitors, and
photovoltaic cells. The challenges in polymeric energy materials are related totheir
stability, scalability, and behavior under extreme operating conditions. It calls for
extraordinary solutions in designing materials, manipulating methods of processing the
material, and enhancing properties like electrical conductivity, mechanical properties,
and flexibility. The prospects for industrializing polymeric energy materials offer
advantages because they can be engineered to be lighter, more efficient, and ecofriendly for energy delivery. These new materials, if incorporated successfully into
commercially viable products, can lead to the fourth generation of energy materials
needed for further development of sustainable energy and non-renewable resources
such as fossil fuels.
Keywords: Conductive polymers, Energy conversion, Energy storage, Industrialization, Material development, Polymer composites, Polymeric energy materials, Solar cells, Supercapacitors, Sustainability.
