Degradation mechanism of sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) ion exchange membranes under vanadium flow battery medium.

The degradation mechanism of hydrocarbon ion exchange membranes under vanadium flow battery (VFB) medium was investigated and clarified for the first time. This work will be highly beneficial for improving the chemical stability of hydrocarbon ion exchange membranes, which is one of the most challenging issues for VFB application.