Development of advanced anion exchange membrane from the view of the performance of water electrolysis cell

Green hydrogen produced by water electrolysis combined with renewable energy is a promising alternative to fossil fuels due to its high energy density with zero-carbon emissions.Among water electrolysis technologies,the anion exchange membrane(AEM) water electrolysis has gained intensive attention and is considered as the next-generation emerging technology due to its potential advantages,such as the use of low-cost non-noble metal catalysts,the relatively mature stack assembly process,etc.However,the AEM water electrolyzer is still in the early development stage of the kW-level stack,which is mainly attributed to severe performance decay caused by the core component,i.e.,AEM.Here,the review comprehensively presents the recent progress of advanced AEM from the view of the performance of water electrolysis cells.Herein,fundamental principles and critical components of AEM water electrolyzers are introduced,and work conditions of AEM water electrolyzers and AEM performance improvement strategies are discussed.The challenges and perspectives are also analyzed.

Recent study on hydrophilization of polyvinylidene fluoride membrane for oily-wastewater treatment

Polyvinylidene fluoride(PVDF)polymer-based membranes are extensively used in wastewater treatment,yet their partially hydrophobic nature poses significant challenges.Numerous studies have focused on creating super-wetting membranes to enhance the water affinity of PVDF membranes.This review provides a comprehensive discussion on the hydrophilization of PVDF-based membranes,examining the chemical and physical properties that influence water affinity.Followed by various fabrication techniques,appropriate modifier materials,efficient operational conditions,and recent advancements in hydrophilization methods.Additionally,the review systematically evaluates the performance of these hydrophilized membranes in separating surfactant-stabilized oil-in-water emulsions,highlighting the importance of long-term stability and environmental considerations.The antifouling mechanisms and the effectiveness of hydrophilic membranes in oilewater separation processes are also discussed,offering insights into the development and application of these technologies.The discussion explain in this review provides important information for the research of wastewater treatment,green material and green industry.

Towards high-performance and robust anion exchange membranes(AEMs)for water electrolysis:Super-acid-catalyzed synthesis of AEMs

The increasing demand for hydrogen energy to address environmental issues and achieve carbon neutrality has elevated interest in green hydrogen production,which does not rely on fossil fuels.Among various hydrogen production technologies,anion exchange membrane water electrolyzer(AEMWE)has emerged as a next-generation technology known for its high hydrogen production efficiency and its ability to use non-metal catalysts.However,this technology faces significant challenges,particularly in terms of the membrane durability and low ionic conductivity.To address these challenges,research efforts have focused on developing membranes with a new backbone structure and anion exchange groups to enhance durability and ionic conductivity.Notably,the super-acid-catalyzed condensation(SACC)synthesis method stands out due to its user convenience,the ability to create high molecular weight(MW)polymers,and the use of oxygen-tolerant organic catalysts.Although the synthesis of anion exchange membranes(AEMs)using the SACC method began in 2015,and despite growing interest in this synthesis approach,there remains a scarcity of review papers focusing on AEMs synthesized using the SACC method.The review covers the basics of SACC synthesis,presents various polymers synthesized using this method,and summarizes the development of these polymers,particularly their building blocks including aryl,ketone,and anion exchange groups.We systematically describe the effects of changes in the molecular structure of each polymer component,conducted by various research groups,on the mechanical properties,conductivity,and operational stability of the membrane.This review will provide insights into the development of AEMs with superior performance and operational stability suitable for water electrolysis applications.

Practical operating flexibility of a bifunctional freestanding membrane for efficient anion exchange membrane water electrolysis across all current ranges

This study explores a symmetric configuration approach in anion exchange membrane(AEM)water electrolysis,focusing on overcoming adaptability challenges in dynamic conditions.Here,a rapid and mild synthesis technique for fabricating fibrous membrane-type catalyst electrodes is developed.Our method leverages the contrasting oxidation states between the sulfur-doped NiFe(OH)_(2) shell and the metallic Ni core,as revealed by electron energy loss spectroscopy.Theoretical evaluations confirm that the S–NiFe(OH)_(2) active sites optimize free energy for alkaline water electrolysis intermediates.This technique bypasses traditional energy-intensive processes,achieving superior bifunctional activity beyond current benchmarks.The symmetric AEM water electrolyzer demonstrates a current density of 2 A cm^(-2) at 1.78 V at 60℃ in 1 M KOH electrolyte and also sustains ampere-scale water electrolysis below 2.0 V for 140 h even in ambient conditions.These results highlight the system's operational flexibility and structural stability,marking a significant advance-ment in AEM water electrolysis technology.

Electrochemical synthesis of trimetallic nickel-iron-copper nanoparticles via potential-cycling for high current density anion exchange membrane water-splitting applications

Hydrogen is known for its elevated energy density and environmental compatibility and is a promising alternative to fossil fuels.Alkaline water electrolysis utilizing renewable energy sources has emerged as a means to obtain high-purity hydrogen.Nevertheless,electrocatalysts used in the process are fabricated using conventional wet chemical synthesis methods,such as sol-gel,hydrothermal,or surfactantassisted approaches,which often necessitate intricate pretreatment procedures and are vulnerable to post-treatment contamination.Therefore,this study introduces a streamlined and environmentally conscious one-step potential-cycling approach to generate a highly efficient trimetallic nickel-iron-copper electrocatalyst in situ on nickel foam.The synthesized material exhibited remarkable performance,requiring a mere 476 mV to drive electrochemical water splitting at 100 mA cm^(-2)current density in alkaline solution.Furthermore,this material was integrated into an anion exchange membrane watersplitting device and achieved an exceptionally high current density of 1 A cm^(-2)at a low cell voltage of2.13 V,outperforming the noble-metal benchmark(2.51 V).Additionally,ex situ characterizations were employed to detect transformations in the active sites during the catalytic process,revealing the structural transformations and providing inspiration for further design of electrocatalysts.

Electrochemical reconstruction of non-noble metal-based heterostructure nanorod arrays electrodes for highly stable anion exchange membrane seawater electrolysis

Direct seawater electrolysis for hydrogen production has been regarded as a viable route to utilize surplus renewable energy and address the climate crisis.However,the harsh electrochemical environment of seawater,particularly the presence of aggressive Cl^(-),has been proven to be prone to parasitic chloride ion oxidation and corrosion reactions,thus restricting seawater electrolyzer lifetime.Herein,hierarchical structure(Ni,Fe)O(OH)@NiCoS nanorod arrays(NAs)catalysts with heterointerfaces and localized oxygen vacancies were synthesized at nickel foam substrates via the combination of hydrothermal and annealing methods to boost seawater dissociation.The hiera rchical nanostructure of NiCoS NAs enhanced electrode charge transfer rate and active surface area to accelerate oxygen evolution reaction(OER)and generated sulfate gradient layers to repulsive aggressive Cl^(-).The fabricated heterostructure and vacancies of(Ni,Fe)O(OH)tuned catalyst electronic structure into an electrophilic state to enhance the binding affinity of hydroxyl intermediates and facilitate the structural transformation into amorphousγ-NiFeOOH for promoting OER.Furthermore,through operando electrochemistry techniques,we found that theγ-NiFeOOH possessing an unsaturated coordination environment and lattice-oxygen-participated OER mechanism can minimize electrode Cl^(-)corrosion enabled by stabilizing the adsorption of OH*intermediates,making it one of the best OER catalysts in the seawater medium reported to date.Consequently,these catalysts can deliver current densities of 100 and 500 mA cm-2for boosting OER at minimal overpotentials of 245and 316 mV,respectively,and thus prevent chloride ion oxidation simultaneously.Impressively,a highly stable anion exchange membrane(AEM)seawater electrolyzer based on the non-noble metal heterostructure electrodes reached a record low degradation rate under 100μV h-1at constant industrial current densities of 400 and 600 mA cm-2over 300 h,which exhibits a promising future for the nonprecious and stable AEMWE in the direct seawater electrolysis industry.

Enhancing proton exchange membrane water electrolysis by building electron/proton pathways

Proton exchange membrane water electrolysis(PEMWE)plays a critical role in practical hydrogen production.Except for the electrode activities,the widespread deployment of PEMWE is severely obstructed by the poor electron-proton permeability across the catalyst layer(CL)and the inefficient transport structure.In this work,the PEDOT:F(Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):perfluorosulfonic acid)ionomers with mixed proton-electron conductor(MPEC)were fabricated,which allows for a homogeneous anodic CL structure and the construction of a highly efficient triple-phase interface.The PEDOT:F exhibits strong perfluorosulfonic acid(PFSA)side chain extensibility,enabling the formation of large hydrophilic ion clusters that form proton-electron transport channels within the CL networks,thus contributing to the surface reactant water adsorption.The PEMWE device employing membrane electrode assembly(MEA)prepared by PEDOT:F-2 demonstrates a competitive voltage of 1.713 V under a water-splitting current of 2 A cm^(-2)(1.746 V at 2A cm^(-2) for MEA prepared by Nafion D520),along with exceptional long-term stability.Meanwhile,the MEA prepared by PEDOT:F-2 also exhibits lower ohmic resistance,which is reduced by 23.4%and 17.6%at 0.1 A cm^(-2) and 1.5 A cm^(-2),respectively,as compared to the MEA prepared by D520.The augmentation can be ascribed to the superior proton and electron conductivity inherent in PEDOT:F,coupled with its remarkable structural stability.This characteristic enables expeditious mass transfer during electrolytic reactions,thereby enhancing the performance of PEMWE devices.

Research of Oxidation Resistance of PVDF Hollow Fiber Membrane Used in Water Treatment

[Objective] The aim was to research the influences of different formulations on oxidation resistance of PVDF hollow fiber membrane.[Method]The immersion precipitation phase inversion method was employed to make casting solution with different formulations into hollow fiber membrane.The membrane was immersed in 1% NaClO solution for testing its performance changes.[Result]The membrane made by materials with bigger molecular weight had better oxidation resistance performance;the surfactant tween-80 could increase water flux,but lead to lower rupture intension;Pore-forming agent PEG400 do better than PVP in the oxidation resistance of membrane.[Conclusion]This study will provide a good idea for the development of the PVDF membrane with high oxidation resistance.

The effect of coupling coagulation and flocculation with membrane filtration in water treatment:A review

Water supply and sanitation demands are foreseen to face enormous challenges over the coming decades to meet the fast growing needs in a global perspective. Significant growth in the industry is predicted and membrane separation technologies have been identified as one of the possible solutions to meet future demands. Application and implementation of membrane technology is expected both in production of potable water as well as in treatment of wastewater. In potable water production membranes are substituting conventional separation technologies due to the superior performance, potential for less chemical use and sludge production, as well as the potential to fulfill hygienic barrier requirements. Membrane bio-reactor （MBR） technology is probably the membrane process which has had most success and has the best prospects for the future in wastewater treatment. Trends and developments indicate that this technology is becoming accepted and is rapidly becoming the best available technology for many wastewater treatment applications. A major drawback of MBR systems is membrane fouling. Studies have shown that fouling mitigation in MBR systems can potentially be done by coupling coagulation and flocculation to the process.

Effect of Soil Drought Stress on Leaf Water Status, Membrane Permeability and Enzymatic Antioxidant System of Maize

A simulation experiment on the responses of maize (Zea mays L.) from the third leaf stage to maturity for different soil water levels (well-watered, moderately stressed, and severely stressed) was conducted by controlling irrigation and using a mobile rain shelter in a neutral loam, meadow soil to determine the effects on leaf water status, membrane permeability and enzymatic antioxidant system for different growth stages. The results indicated that drought stress relied on drought intensity and duration, with more severe drought stress creating more serious effects on maize. Compared with well-watered conditions, during the silking and blister stages moderate stress did not significantly change the relative water content (RWC) and did change significantly the relative conductivity (RC) (P < 0.05) of the leaves; however, severe stress did significantly decrease (P < 0.01) the leaf RWC and increase (P < 0.01) membrane permeability (leaf relative conductivity). Furthermore, under severe drought stress antioxidant enzyme activities declined significantly (P < 0.01) in later stages, namely for superoxide dismutase (SOD) the tasseling and blister stages, for peroxidase (POD) the milk stage, and for catalase (CAT) during the tasseling, blister, and milk stages. Meanwhile, membrane lipid peroxidation (measured as malondialdehyde content) significantly increased (P < 0.01) in all stages.

MASS TRANSFER IN MEMBRANE ABSORPTIONDESORPTION OF AMMONIA FROM AMMONIA WATER

Hydrophobic membrane can provide fast mass transfer for absorption-desorption of gasesform liquid to absorbent.The removal of ammonia from ammonia water and absorption with dilutesulphuric acid was studied in a pilot plant with polypropylene hollow fiber column,The removalrate and influences of operation temperature,flow rate and concentration on mass transferperformances were discussed mathematically.Experimental results and computer calculation show thatthe ammonia removal rate is not affected by the feed concentration for a given system.Both partialand overall mass transfer coefficients vary along the axis of the fiber,and the mass transfer for themembrane process is controlled by membrane resistance.

Review on structural control and modification of graphene oxide-based membranes in water treatment: From separation performance to robust operation

Membrane separation has become an important technology to deal with the global water crisis. The polymerbased membrane technology is currently in the forefront of water purification and desalination but is plagued with some bottlenecks. Laminated graphene oxide(GO) membranes exhibit excellent advantages in water purification and desalination due to the single atomic layer structure, hydrophilic property, rich oxygen-containing groups for modification, mechanical and chemical robust, anti-fouling properties, facile and large-scale production, etc. Thus the GO-based membrane technology is believed to offer huge opportunities for efficient and practical water treatment. This review systematically summarizes the current progress on the water flux and selectivity intensification, stability improvement, anti-fouling and anti-biofouling ability enhancement by structural control and modification. To improve the performance of the laminated GO membrane, interlayer spacing tunability and surface modification are mainly used to enhance its water flux and selectivity. It is found that the stability and biofouling also block the service life of the GO membrane. The crosslinking method is found to effectively solve the stability of GO membrane in aqueous environment. Introducing nanoparticles is a widely used method to improve the membrane biofouling ability. Overall, we believe that this review could provide benefit to researchers in the area of GO-based membrane technology for water treatment.

Emerging R&D on membranes and systems for water reuse and desalination

Sustainable production of clean water is a global challenge.While we firmly believe that membrane technologies are one of the most promising solutions to tackle the global water challenges,one must reduce their energy consumption and fouling propensity for broad sustainable applications.In addition,different membranes face various challenges in their specific applications during long-term operations.In this short review,we will summarize the recent progresses in emerging membrane technologies and system integration to advance and sustain water reuse and desalination with discussion on their challenges and perspectives.

Mechanism of combination membrane and electro-winning process on treatment and remediation of Cu^(2+) polluted water body

Mechanism of treatment and remediation of synthetic Cu^2＋ polluted water body by membrane and electro-winning combination process was investigated.The influences of electrolysis voltage,pH,and electrolysis time on the metal recovery effciencies were studied.Relationship between trans-membrane pressure drop（△P）,additions ratio,initial Cu^2＋ concentration on operating effciency,stability of membrane and the possibility of water reuse were also investigated.The morphology of membrane and electrodes were observed using scanning electron microscopy（SEM）,the composition of surface deposits was ascertained using combined energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy（EDX） and atomic absorption spectrophotometer.The results showed that using low pressure reverse osmosis（LPRO）,Cu^2＋ concentration could increase from 20 to 100 mg/L or even higher in concentrated solutions and permeate water conductivity could be less than 20 μS/cm.The addition of sodium dodecy/sulfate sodium dodecyl sulfate improved Cu^2＋ removal effciency,while EDTA had little side influence.In electro-reduction process,using plante electrode cell,Cu^2＋ concentration could be further reduced to 5 mg/L,and the average current effciency ranged from 9% to 40%.Using 3D electrolysis treatment,Cu^2＋ concentration could be reduced to 0.5 mg/L with a current effciency range 60%-70%.

Fouling-resistant Composite Membranes for Separation of Oil-in-water Microemulsions

Fouling-resistant ceramic-supported polymer composite membranes were developed for removal of oil-in-water （O/W） mieroemulsions. The composite membranes were featured with an asymmetric three-layer structure, i.e., a porous ceramic membrane substrate, a polyvinylidene fluoride （PVDF） ultrafiltration sub-layer, and a polyamide/polyvinyl alcohol （PVA） composite thin top-layer. The PVDF polymer was east onto the tubular porous ceramic membranes with an immersion precipitation method, and the polyamide/PVA composite thin top-layer was fabricated with an inteffaeial polymerization method. The effects of the sub-layer composition and the recipe in the inteffaeial polymerization for fabricating the top-layer on the structure and performance of composite membranes were systematically investigated. The prepared composite membranes showed a good performance for treating the O/W microemulsions with a mean diameter of about 2.41μm. At the operating pressure of 0.4MPa, the hydraulic permeability remained steadily about 190L·m^-2·h^-1, the oil concentration in the permeate was less than 1.6mg·L^-1, and the oil rejection coefficient was always higher than 98.5% throughout the operation from the beginning.

Water Distribution and Removal along the Flow Channel in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

Distribution expressions of total gas pressure and partial water vapor pressure along the channel direction were established based on lumped model by analyzing pressure loss in the channel and gas diffusion in the layer. The mechanism of droplet formation in the flow channel was also analyzed. Effects of the relative humidity, working temperature and stoichiometry on liquid water formation were discussed in detail. Moreover, the force equilibrium equation of the droplet in the flow channel was deduced, and the critical flow velocity for the water droplet removal was also addressed. The experimental results show that the threshold position of the liquid droplet is far from the inlet with the increase of temperature, and it decreases with the increase of the inlet total pressure. The critical flow velocity decreases with the increase of the radius and the working pressure.

Aqueous Two-Phase Interfacial Assembly of COF Membranes for Water Desalination

Aqueous two-phase system features with ultralow interfacial tension and thick interfacial region,affording unique confined space for membrane assembly.Here,for the first time,an aqueous two-phase interfacial assembly method is proposed to fabricate covalent organic framework(COF)membranes.The aqueous solution containing polyethylene glycol and dextran undergoes segregated phase separation into two water-rich phases.By respectively distributing aldehyde and amine monomers into two aqueous phases,a series of COF membranes are fabricated at water-water interface.The resultant membranes exhibit high NaCl rejection of 93.0-93.6% and water permeance reaching 1.7-3.7 L m^(−2) h^(−1) bar^(−1),superior to most water desalination membranes.Interestingly,the interfacial tension is found to have pronounced effect on membrane structures.The appropriate interfacial tension range(0.1-1.0 mN m^(−1))leads to the tight and intact COF membranes.Furthermore,the method is extended to the fabrication of other COF and metal-organic polymer membranes.This work is the first exploitation of fabricating membranes in all-aqueous system,confering a green and generic method for advanced membrane manufacturing.

Studies on Feasibility of Reverse Osmosis (Membrane) Technology for Treatment of Tannery Wastewater

Tanneries reusing wastewater by combination of conventional and advanced Reverse Osmosis (RO) treatment technologies were assessed for technical and economic viabilities. Conventional treatment methods such as neutralization, clari-flocculation and biological processes are followed to clean the effluents before feeding to RO membrane modules. The characteristics of untreated composite effluents such as pH, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), total dissolved solids (TDS), and total chromium were in the range of 4.00-4.60, 680-3600 mg/L, 1698-7546 mg/L, 980-1480 mg/L, 4200-14500 mg/L, and 26.4-190 mg/L, respectively. Inorganic ions like Ca2+, Na+, Cl– and SO42– were found more in the wastewaters. Conventional treatments significantly removed the organic pollutants however failed to remove dissolved inorganic salts. Membrane technology removed the salts as well as remaining organic pollutants and the product water is reused in the process. The studied tanneries (5 numbers) have achieved 93-98%, 92-99% and 91-96% removal of TDS, sodium and chloride, respectively. Seventy to eighty five percentage of wastewater was recovered and recycled in the industrial processes. The rejects are subject to either solar evaporation system or Multiple Effect Evaporation (MEE) technology. The resulting salts are collected in polythene bags and disposed into scientifically managed secured land fill (SLF) site. The cost of wastewater treatment for operation and maintenances of RO including the pre-treatments (conventional methods) is INR 100-110 m-3.

MOF-Like 3D Graphene-Based Catalytic Membrane Fabricated by One-Step Laser Scribing for Robust Water Purification and Green Energy Production

Increasing both clean water and green energy demands for survival and development are the grand challenges of our age.Here,we successfully fabricate a novel multifunctional 3D graphene-based catalytic membrane(3D-GCM)with active metal nanoparticles(AMNs)loading for simultaneously obtaining the water purification and clean energy generation,via a“green”one-step laser scribing technology.The as-prepared 3D-GCM shows high porosity and uniform distribution with AMNs,which exhibits high permeated fluxes(over 100 L m^(−2) h^(−1))and versatile super-adsorption capacities for the removal of tricky organic pollutants from wastewater under ultra-low pressure-driving(0.1 bar).After adsorption saturating,the AMNs in 3D-GCM actuates the advanced oxidization process to self-clean the fouled membrane via the catalysis,and restores the adsorption capacity well for the next time membrane separation.Most importantly,the 3D-GCM with the welding of laser scribing overcomes the lateral shear force damaging during the long-term separation.Moreover,the 3D-GCM could emit plentiful of hot electrons from AMNs under light irradiation,realizing the membrane catalytic hydrolysis reactions for hydrogen energy generation.This“green”precision manufacturing with laser scribing technology provides a feasible technology to fabricate high-efficient and robust 3D-GCM microreactor in the tricky wastewater purification and sustainable clean energy production as well.

Recent advances in flat sheet mixed matrix membrane modified by Mg-based layered double hydroxides(LDHs)for salt and organic compound separations

Magnesium(Mg)is a widely used and attractive metal,known for its unique physical and chemical properties,and it has been employed in the manufacture of many practical materials.Layered Double Hydroxides(LDHs),particularly Mg-based LDHs,rank among the most prevalent two-dimensional materials utilized in separation processes,which include adsorption,extraction,and membrane technology.The high popularity of Mg-based LDHs in separation applications can be attributed to their properties,such as excellent hydrophilicity,high surface area,ion exchangeability,and adjustable interlayer space.Currently,polymer membranes play a pivotal role in semi-industrial and industrial separation processes.Consequently,the development of polymer membranes and the mitigation of their limitations have emerged as compelling topics for researchers.Several methods exist to enhance the separation performance and anti-fouling properties of polymer membranes.Among these,incorporating additives into the membrane polymer matrix stands out as a cost-effective,straightforward,readily available,and efficient approach.The use of Mg-based LDHs,either in combination with other materials or as a standalone additive in the polymer membrane matrix,represents a promising strategy to bolster the separation and anti-fouling efficacy of flat sheet mixed matrix polymer membranes.This review highlights Mg-based LDHs as high-potential additives designed to refine flat sheet mixed matrix polymer membranes for applications in wastewater treatment and brackish water desalination.