Energy storage devices, battery cells, and batteries of the present technology may include a first current collector and a second current collector. The batteries may include an anode material coupled with the first current collector. The batteries may include a cathode material coupled with the second current collector. The batteries may also include a polymeric material coupled between the cathode material and the anode material. The polymeric material may be characterized by a cationic backbone. The polymeric material may be configured to selectively provide anionic transport across the polymeric material while limiting cationic transport across the polymeric material.