Energy storage and neuromorphic computation concepts based on oxygen and lithium ionic movements rely in the device preformance on the available defects and their mobilities. Through this paper we explore novel concepts on the use of strain for crystalline or polyamorphic oxide films to engineer the ionic transference of either lithium of oxygen ionic carriers as electrolyte components for either solid state batteries, fuel cells or memristive neuromorphic computational devices. The interplay of structure-strain-lattice symmetry break ups-ionic transfer vs. device performance engineering is in focus.