In the 21st century, polymer membranes are considered vital tools to access green energy, purified water resources and a pollution free environment for the world population. Recent advent of nanotechnology gave a real boost to membrane separation systems, and polymer nanocomposite membranes (PNMs) have been introduced. So far, PNMs have been successfully applied for several research directions and show great promise towards the next generation of separation systems. In general, PNMs are fabricated by combining polymeric matrices with nanomaterials, in which incorporation of nanomaterials can provide membranes with several unique properties and induce new characteristics and functions based on their synergetic effects. As a result, PNMs show desirable combinations of enhanced permeability and high selectivity and have emerged a new dimension to the future high performance polymeric membranes.

The aim of this issue is to encapsulate the recent scientific and technological advances in the development of PNMs, and their potential applications. Challenges and future research directions will also be considered seriously. We thus invite researchers to contribute original research articles as well as review articles that will increase the basic subject knowledge on PNMs and may lead to the development of new technologies and innovations for their efficient and economic utilization. We are particularly interested in articles describing theoretical and experimental works related to PNMs and their applications. Review articles on recent developments in terms of fabrication and applications of these materials are also welcome.

Electronically conducting polymers are a new class of materials with interesting potential applications in number of technologies like an electrode material in primary and secondary batteries, shielding of electronic equipments from electromagnetic pollution and electrostatic charge dissipation, stealth applications in microwave range, sensors, organic light emitting diodes, super conducting polymers, super capacitors and as corrosion inhibition coatings. Deliberate modification in the chemical and super molecular structure in the polymer matrix can lead to the formation of conducting polymers of high electronic conductivity (p & n type) which can be suitably designed for high tech applications.