Ultramicroporous crosslinked polyxanthene-poly(biphenyl piperidinium)-based anion exchange membranes for water electrolyzers operating under highly alkaline conditions

Abstract

Anion exchange membrane water electrolyzers (AEMWEs) suffer from low efficiencies and durability, due to the unavailability of appropriate anion exchange membranes (AEM). Herein, a rigid ladder-like polyxanthene crosslinker was developed for the preparation of ultramicroporous crosslinked polyxanthene-poly(biphenyl piperidinium)-based AEMs. Due to the synergetic effects of their ultramicroporous structure and microphase-separation morphology, the crosslinked membranes showed high OH conductivity (up to 163 mS cm−1 at 80 °C). Furthermore, these AEMs also exhibited moderate water uptake, excellent dimensional stability, and remarkable alkaline stability. The single-cell AEMWE based on QPBP-PX-15% and equipped with non-noble catalysts achieved a current density of 3000 mA cm−2 at 2.03 V (compared to PiperION's 2.26 V) in 6 M KOH solution at 80 °C, which outperformed many AEMWEs that used platinum-group-metal catalysts. Thus, the crosslinked AEMs developed in this study showed significant potential for application in AEMWEs fed with concentrated alkaline solutions.

Graphical abstract: Ultramicroporous crosslinked polyxanthene-poly(biphenyl piperidinium)-based anion exchange membranes for water electrolyzers operating under highly alkaline conditions

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Communication
Submitted
29 Jun 2024
Accepted
17 Sep 2024
First published
19 Sep 2024

Mater. Horiz., 2024, Advance Article

Ultramicroporous crosslinked polyxanthene-poly(biphenyl piperidinium)-based anion exchange membranes for water electrolyzers operating under highly alkaline conditions

Z. Zheng, B. Xue, J. Yao, Q. He, Z. Wang and J. Yan, Mater. Horiz., 2024, Advance Article , DOI: 10.1039/D4MH00836G

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