TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Ionomer: The ionomer has a m.pt. of at least 150 degrees C and comprises 3-12 mol. % ionic monomer units. The ionomer is in the form of a film or sheet and further comprises: (i) up to 30 mol. % of one or more additional monomer units selected from tetrafluoroethylene, (chlorotrifluoro)ethylene, hexafluoropropylene, trifluoroethylene, vinyl fluoride, vinyl(idene) chloride and perfluoroalkylvinyl ethers of formula CF2=CFORf, whereRf = CF3, C2H5 or C3H6(preferably tetrafluoroethylene, ethylene, hexafluoropropylene and perfluoroalkylvinyl ethers); (ii) a non-ionic polymer blended with a non-ionic polymer selected from: poly(tetrafluoroethylene) and copolymers with hexafluoropropylene or perfluoroalkyl vinyl ethers or poly(vinylidene fluoride) homopolymer and a copolymer with hexafluoropropylene, polymethylmethacrylate, polyethylene oxide and poly(vinyl chloride); and (iii) inorganic particles admixed with it of up to 50 wt. % silica particles having an average particle dimension of less than 1.0 micrometer.Preferred Liquid: The liquid is a protic liquid selected from water and methanol, or an aprotic liquid selected from organic carbonates and their mixtures, preferably a mixture of ethylene carbonate and at least one liquid selected from propylene carbonate, gamma-butyrolactone, dimethyl carbonate, methyl ethyl carbonate and diethyl carbonate.Preferred Conductive Composition: The conductive composition is in the form selected from a film, a sheet and a gel and further comprises a microporous electrically insulating polymer film or sheet within the micropores of which the gel is imbibed. Preferred Electrode: The electrode further comprises carbon black, where the weight ratio of ionomer to electrode active material is 0.05-0.8 and the weight ratio of carbon black to electrode active material is 0.01-0.2.Preferred Electrochemical Cell: The electrochemical cell further comprises a liquid selected from organic carbonates and their mixtures imbibed in the ionomer. Preferred Definitions: In the formulae,    M+ = an alkali metal cation, preferably a lithium cation;    Y and Z = -CN or -CO2C2H5 or -CO2CH3 when c = 1, and Y is -SO2CF3 or -SO2C2F5 when c = 0;    R = trifluoromethyl;    R' = F;    a = 1; and    b = 1    EXAMPLE - 150 g of PSEPVE liquid was suspended in aqueous emulsion by combining with a solution of 35 g of ammonium perfluorooctanoate in 600 ml of distilled water using a microfluidizer. The suspension was then diluted to 1 liter total volume with additional distilled water. The suspension was charged to a nitrogen purged 4 liter horizontal autoclave equipped with a mechanical agitator, along with an additional 1500 ml of distilled water. The reactor was evacuated, then pressurized to 0 psig with vinylidene fluoride three times, then heated to 60 degrees C, pressurized to 300 psig with vinylidene fluoride, and agitated at 200 rpm. A 50 ml solution of 0.6 % aqueous potassium persulfate was added over 5 minutes. The reactor pressure was maintained at 300 psi until 220 g of VF2 had been fed after initiator addition. Agitation was stopped and the reactor was cooled and vented. The resulting milky dispersion was frozen and thawed to coagulate the product which was filtered through a Nylon cloth and washed with water repeatedly to remove surfactant. After air drying, polymer crumb was dried in a nitrogen-purged vacuum oven at 100 degrees C for 24 hours to give 364 g of product (19F NMR data (acetone): +45.2 (s,), -78.0 to -80.0 (m's), -90.0 to -95 (m's), -108 to -116 (series of m), -122.0 to -127.5 (m's), -143.0 (bd s), consistent with mol. % PSEPVE = 9.5 %; TGA (10 degrees/minute, N2): no weight loss until 375 degrees C; DSC (20 degrees/minute): maximum of broad melting transition at 162 degrees C (23 J/g); Tg= -20 degrees C). A 100 ml flask was charged with 0.63 g malononitrile and 10 ml dimethoxyethane. 0.228 g sodium hydride was added in portions. The mixture was stirred at room temperature for 15 minutes until gas evolution was complete. 5 g of the VF2/PSEPVE copolymer, corresponding to 4.73 mequivalent of S02F, was suspended in 50 ml of dimethoxyethane and treated in one portion with the above malononitrile anion solution. The mixture was stirred for 18 hours at which time the 19F NMR spectral analysis showed an essentially complete conversion of S02F groups to S02C(CN)2 groups: -78.0 to -82.0 (m, distinctly different line shape vs. S03 form, a = 7.00), -92.0 to -96.6 with major intensity singlet at -92.7, minor at -93.1 and -96.6 (combined a = 16.868), -109 to -113 (m) and defect VF2 peaks at -115.0 and -117.3, CF2S02- at -117.9 (combined a = 5.206), -123 to -128 (bd m, a = 1.543), -145.8 (m, a = 1.011). Integration was consistent with 9.8 mol. % Na-dicyanomethide form of functional co-monomer. The reaction mixture was treated with 50 ml of dry toluene and filtered to provide 5.70 g red-pink solid after removal of residual solvent at high vacuum. 1H NMR (acetone-d6) was in accord with one dimethoxyethane molecule/polymer-bound sodium ion. Sodium ions were exchanged for lithium ions by suspending a 4.0 g sample of the sodium form of the copolymer in 100 ml water containing 4.5 g LiCl and stirring for 1 hour. The aqueous layer was decanted, then replaced with another aqueous LiCl solution further modified by the addition of 40 ml methanol. After 18 hours, the top phase was decanted and replaced with another aqueous charge of LiCl, and the mixture was stirred and filtered. The solid was washed with distilled water until chloride ion in the effluent could not be detected. The red solid was air dried, then azeotropically dried using toluene. 0.44 g ethylene carbonate dissolved in 5 ml toluene was added to the copolymer suspension in toluene, and distillation was continued until water was no longer evident in the distillate. The resulting solid was collected by filtration under nitrogen, then placed on a high vacuum line for 3 hours to provide 4.0 g of solid. (Thin film) IR exhibited a band at 2205 cm to the power -1 assigned to a CN stretch. 1H NMR was consistent with one ethylene carbonate molecule/polymer-bound Li ion. ICP showed that the exchange of Li for Na was essentially complete. DSC showed a peak melting temperature of 160.6 degrees.