Ionic liquid crystal electrolytes: Fundamental, applications and prospects

Current available organic liquid electrolytes of electrochemical energy devices lead to fast performance degradation and even combustion. Such challenges call for the development of advanced electrolytes with remarkable safety and electrochemical performances. Via integrating the merits of ionic liquids and liquid crystals, the emerging ionic liquid crystals (ILCs) enable the feasibility of design, manipulation of defined ion transport channels through modulated nanosegregated structures, and the high operational safety. Previous reviews rarely focus on the ion conductive and working mechanisms of ILC electrolytes in energy storage and conversion devices, which are critical for the development of superior electrolytes. Hence, our review is oriented to construct a key scheme of component-(micro)structure-fundamental-properties-electrochemical interaction of ILC electrolytes for energy storage applications. Especially, the ion transportation mechanism and working principles of ILC electrolytes are comprehensively summarized to highlight their ion redistribution ability and high stability. Moreover, the challenges and design rules of ILC electrolytes are outlined to thrill their development in energy storage fields.