1
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Khoiruddin K, Wenten IG, Siagian UWR. Advancements in Bipolar Membrane Electrodialysis Techniques for Carbon Capture. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024; 40:9362-9384. [PMID: 38680122 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c03873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Bipolar membrane electrodialysis (BMED) is a promising technology for the capture of carbon dioxide (CO2) from seawater, offering a sustainable solution to combat climate change. BMED efficiently extracts CO2 while generating valuable byproducts like hydrogen and minerals, contributing to the carbon cycle. The technology relies on ion-exchange membranes and electric fields for efficient ion separation and concentration. Recent advancements focus on enhancing water dissociation in bipolar membranes (BPMs) to improve efficiency and durability. BMED has applications in desalination, electrodialysis, water splitting, acid/base production, and CO2 capture and utilization. Despite the high efficiency, scalability, and environmental friendliness, challenges such as energy consumption and membrane costs exist. Recent innovations include novel BPM designs, catalyst integration, and exploring direct air/ocean capture. Research and development efforts are crucial to unlocking BMED's full potential in reducing carbon emissions and addressing environmental issues. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in BMED, emphasizing its role in carbon capture and sustainable environmental solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Khoiruddin
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), Jalan Ganesa No. 10, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
- Research Center for Nanosciences and Nanotechnology, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jalan Ganesa No. 10, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
| | - I G Wenten
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), Jalan Ganesa No. 10, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
- Research Center for Nanosciences and Nanotechnology, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jalan Ganesa No. 10, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
| | - Utjok W R Siagian
- Research Center for Nanosciences and Nanotechnology, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jalan Ganesa No. 10, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
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2
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Adisasmito S, Khoiruddin K, Sutrisna PD, Wenten IG, Siagian UWR. Bipolar Membrane Seawater Splitting for Hydrogen Production: A Review. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:14704-14727. [PMID: 38585051 PMCID: PMC10993265 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c09205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
The growing demand for clean energy has spurred the quest for sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels. Hydrogen has emerged as a promising candidate with its exceptional heating value and zero emissions upon combustion. However, conventional hydrogen production methods contribute to CO2 emissions, necessitating environmentally friendly alternatives. With its vast potential, seawater has garnered attention as a valuable resource for hydrogen production, especially in arid coastal regions with surplus renewable energy. Direct seawater electrolysis presents a viable option, although it faces challenges such as corrosion, competing reactions, and the presence of various impurities. To enhance the seawater electrolysis efficiency and overcome these challenges, researchers have turned to bipolar membranes (BPMs). These membranes create two distinct pH environments and selectively facilitate water dissociation by allowing the passage of protons and hydroxide ions, while acting as a barrier to cations and anions. Moreover, the presence of catalysts at the BPM junction or interface can further accelerate water dissociation. Alongside the thermodynamic potential, the efficiency of the system is significantly influenced by the water dissociation potential of BPMs. By exploiting these unique properties, BPMs offer a promising solution to improve the overall efficiency of seawater electrolysis processes. This paper reviews BPM electrolysis, including the water dissociation mechanism, recent advancements in BPM synthesis, and the challenges encountered in seawater electrolysis. Furthermore, it explores promising strategies to optimize the water dissociation reaction in BPMs, paving the way for sustainable hydrogen production from seawater.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanggono Adisasmito
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Institut Teknologi
Bandung (ITB), Jalan
Ganesa No. 10, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
| | - Khoiruddin Khoiruddin
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Institut Teknologi
Bandung (ITB), Jalan
Ganesa No. 10, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
| | - Putu D. Sutrisna
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Universitas Surabaya
(UBAYA), Jalan Raya Kalirungkut (Tenggilis), Surabaya 60293, Indonesia
| | - I Gede Wenten
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Institut Teknologi
Bandung (ITB), Jalan
Ganesa No. 10, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
| | - Utjok W. R. Siagian
- Department
of Petroleum Engineering, Institut Teknologi
Bandung (ITB), Jalan Ganesa No. 10, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
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3
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Al-Dhubhani E, Tedesco M, de Vos WM, Saakes M. Combined Electrospinning-Electrospraying for High-Performance Bipolar Membranes with Incorporated MCM-41 as Water Dissociation Catalysts. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:45745-45755. [PMID: 37729586 PMCID: PMC10561145 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c06826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
Electrospinning has been demonstrated as a very promising method to create bipolar membranes (BPMs), especially as it allows three-dimensional (3D) junctions of entangled anion exchange and cation exchange nanofibers. These newly developed BPMs are relevant to demanding applications, including acid and base production, fuel cells, flow batteries, ammonia removal, concentration of carbon dioxide, and hydrogen generation. However, these applications require the introduction of catalysts into the BPM to allow accelerated water dissociation, and this remains a challenge. Here, we demonstrate a versatile strategy to produce very efficient BPMs through a combined electrospinning-electrospraying approach. Moreover, this work applies the newly investigated water dissociation catalyst of nanostructured silica MCM-41. Several BPMs were produced by electrospraying MCM-41 nanoparticles into the layers directly adjacent to the main BPM 3D junction. BPMs with various loadings of MCM-41 nanoparticles and BPMs with different catalyst positions relative to the junction were investigated. The membranes were carefully characterized for their structure and performance. Interestingly, the water dissociation performance of BPMs showed a clear optimal MCM-41 loading where the performance outpaced that of a commercial BPM, recording a transmembrane voltage of approximately 1.11 V at 1000 A/m2. Such an excellent performance is very relevant to fuel cell and flow battery applications, but our results also shed light on the exact function of the catalyst in this mode of operation. Overall, we demonstrate clearly that introducing a novel BPM architecture through a novel hybrid electrospinning-electrospraying method allows the uptake of promising new catalysts (i.e., MCM-41) and the production of very relevant BPMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emad Al-Dhubhani
- Wetsus, European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, Oostergoweg 9, 8911 MA Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
- Membrane Science and Technology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Michele Tedesco
- Wetsus, European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, Oostergoweg 9, 8911 MA Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
| | - Wiebe M de Vos
- Membrane Science and Technology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Michel Saakes
- Wetsus, European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, Oostergoweg 9, 8911 MA Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
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4
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Mehrabi H, Schichtl ZG, Conlin SK, Coridan RH. Modular Solar-to-Fuel Electrolysis at Low Cell Potentials Enabled by Glycerol Electrooxidation and a Bipolar Membrane Separator. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:44953-44961. [PMID: 37706500 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c09016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
Solar fuel generation through water electrolysis or electrochemical CO2 reduction is thermodynamically limited when it is paired with oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Glycerol electrooxidation reaction (GEOR) is an alternative anodic reaction with lower anodic electrochemical potential that utilizes a renewable coproduct produced during biodiesel synthesis. We show that GEOR on an Au-Pt-Bi ternary metal electrocatalyst in a model alkaline crude glycerol solution can provide significant cell potential reductions even when paired to reduction reactions in seawater and acidic catholytes via a bipolar membrane (BPM). We showed that the combination of GEOR and a BPM separator lowers the total cell potential by 1 V at an electrolysis current of 10.0 mA cm-2 versus an anode performing anode's OER when paired with hydrogen evolution and CO2 reduction cathodes. The observed voltage reduction was steady for periods of up to 80 h, with minimal glycerol crossover observed through the membrane. These results motivate new, high-performance cell designs for photoelectrochemical solar fuel integrated systems based on glycerol electrooxidation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamed Mehrabi
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701, United States
| | - Zebulon G Schichtl
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701, United States
| | - Samuel K Conlin
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701, United States
| | - Robert H Coridan
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701, United States
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701, United States
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5
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Al-Dhubhani E, Post JW, Duisembiyev M, Tedesco M, Saakes M. Understanding the Impact of the Three-Dimensional Junction Thickness of Electrospun Bipolar Membranes on Electrochemical Performance. ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS 2023; 5:2533-2541. [PMID: 37090423 PMCID: PMC10112390 DOI: 10.1021/acsapm.2c02182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The use of electrospun bipolar membranes (BPMs) with an interfacial three-dimensional (3D) junction of entangled nano-/microfibers has been recently proposed as a promising fabrication strategy to develop high-performance BPMs. In these BPMs, the morphology and physical properties of the 3D junction are of utmost importance to maximize the membrane performance. However, a full understanding of the impact of the junction thickness on the membrane performance is still lacking. In this study, we have developed bipolar membranes with the same composition, only varying the 3D junction thicknesses, by regulating the electrospinning time used to deposit the nano-/microfibers at the junction. In total, four BPMs with 3D junction thicknesses of ∼4, 8, 17, and 35 μm were produced to examine the influence of the junction thickness on the membrane performance. Current-voltage curves for water dissociation of BPMs exhibited lower voltages for BPMs with thicker 3D junctions, as a result of a three-dimensional increase in the interfacial contact area between cation- and anion-exchange fibers and thus a larger water dissociation reaction area. Indeed, increasing the BPM thickness from 4 to 35 μm lowered the BPM water dissociation overpotential by 32%, with a current efficiency toward HCl/NaOH generation higher than 90%. Finally, comparing BPM performance during the water association operation revealed a substantial reduction in the voltage from levels of its supplied open circuit voltage (OCV), owing to excessive hydroxide ion (OH-) and proton (H+) leakage through the relevant layers. Overall, this work provides insights into the role of the junction thickness on electrospun BPM performance as a crucial step toward the development of membranes with optimal entangled junctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emad Al-Dhubhani
- Wetsus,
European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, Oostergoweg 9, 8911 MA Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
- Membrane
Science and Technology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Jan W. Post
- Wetsus,
European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, Oostergoweg 9, 8911 MA Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
| | - Marat Duisembiyev
- L.N.
Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Satpayev str. 2, 010008 Astana, Repulic
of Kazakhstan
| | - Michele Tedesco
- Wetsus,
European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, Oostergoweg 9, 8911 MA Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
| | - Michel Saakes
- Wetsus,
European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, Oostergoweg 9, 8911 MA Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
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6
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Xu Z, Wan L, Liao Y, Pang M, Xu Q, Wang P, Wang B. Continuous ammonia electrosynthesis using physically interlocked bipolar membrane at 1000 mA cm -2. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1619. [PMID: 36959179 PMCID: PMC10036611 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37273-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Electrosynthesis of ammonia from nitrate reduction receives extensive attention recently for its relatively mild conditions and clean energy requirements, while most existed electrochemical strategies can only deliver a low yield rate and short duration for the lack of stable ion exchange membranes at high current density. Here, a bipolar membrane nitrate reduction process is proposed to achieve ionic balance, and increasing water dissociation sites is delivered by constructing a three-dimensional physically interlocked interface for the bipolar membrane. This design simultaneously boosts ionic transfer and interfacial stability compared to traditional ones, successfully reducing transmembrane voltage to 1.13 V at up to current density of 1000 mA cm-2. By combining a Co three-dimensional nanoarray cathode designed for large current and low concentration utilizations, a continuous and high yield bipolar membrane reactor for NH3 electrosynthesis realized a stable electrolysis at 1000 mA cm-2 for over 100 h, Faradaic efficiency of 86.2% and maximum yield rate of 68.4 mg h-1 cm-2 with merely 2000 ppm NO3- alkaline electrolyte. These results show promising potential for artificial nitrogen cycling in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziang Xu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Lei Wan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yiwen Liao
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Maobin Pang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Qin Xu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Peican Wang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Baoguo Wang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
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7
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Xu J, Zhong G, Li M, Zhao D, Sun Y, Hu X, Sun J, Li X, Zhu W, Li M, Zhang Z, Zhang Y, Zhao L, Zheng C, Sun X. Review on electrochemical carbon dioxide capture and transformation with bipolar membranes. CHINESE CHEM LETT 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cclet.2022.108075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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8
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Dong H, Laguna CM, Liu MJ, Guo J, Tarpeh WA. Electrified Ion Exchange Enabled by Water Dissociation in Bipolar Membranes for Nitrogen Recovery from Source-Separated Urine. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:16134-16143. [PMID: 36223185 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c03771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Ion exchange (IX) is a promising technology for selective nitrogen recovery from urine; however, IX requires chemical-intensive regeneration that escalates energy consumption and carbon emissions. To overcome this barrier, we demonstrated and investigated a novel electrified IX stripping process (EXS) enabling electrochemical in situ IX regeneration with simultaneous ammonia stripping. EXS combines a weak acid cation exchange resin (WAC) to concentrate ammonia, a bipolar membrane to produce protons for WAC regeneration, and membrane stripping to recover the eluted ammonium from WAC. We observed over 80% regeneration (elution from resin) and recovery (membrane stripping) efficiencies during multiple adsorption-recovery cycles with synthetic and real urine. Comparing WAC with a strong acid cation exchange resin illustrated the critical role of the proton affinity of resin moieties in regulating resin regenerability and conductivity in EXS, which we distinguished from the rationale for material choice in electrodeionization. Compared to other electrochemical recovery methods using unamended wastewater as an electrolyte, EXS enabled control of electrolyte composition during recovery by separating and equalizing influent ammonium via WAC-mediated removal. This electrolyte engineering facilitated tunable EXS energy efficiency (100-300 MJ/kg N). This study informs the design of electrified, intensified systems that enable decentralized nitrogen recovery from urine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hang Dong
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, 443 Via Ortega, Room 387, Stanford, California94305, United States
| | - Chloe Marie Laguna
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, 443 Via Ortega, Room 387, Stanford, California94305, United States
| | - Matthew J Liu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, 443 Via Ortega, Room 387, Stanford, California94305, United States
| | - Jinyu Guo
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, 443 Via Ortega, Room 387, Stanford, California94305, United States
| | - William A Tarpeh
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, 443 Via Ortega, Room 387, Stanford, California94305, United States
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9
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Zhao D, Xu J, Sun Y, Li M, Zhong G, Hu X, Sun J, Li X, Su H, Li M, Zhang Z, Zhang Y, Zhao L, Zheng C, Sun X. Composition and Structure Progress of the Catalytic Interface Layer for Bipolar Membrane. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 12:2874. [PMID: 36014740 PMCID: PMC9416193 DOI: 10.3390/nano12162874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Bipolar membranes, a new type of composite ion exchange membrane, contain an anion exchange layer, a cation exchange layer and an interface layer. The interface layer or junction is the connection between the anion and cation exchange layers. Water is dissociated into protons and hydroxide ions at the junction, which provides solutions to many challenges in the chemical, environmental and energy fields. By combining bipolar membranes with electrodialysis technology, acids and bases could be produced with low cost and high efficiency. The interface layer or junction of bipolar membranes (BPMs) is the connection between the anion and cation exchange layers, which the membrane and interface layer modification are vital for improving the performance of BPMs. This paper reviews the effect of modification of a bipolar membrane interface layer on water dissociation efficiency and voltage across the membrane, which divides into three aspects: organic materials, inorganic materials and newly designed materials with multiple components. The structure of the interface layer is also introduced on the performance of bipolar membranes. In addition, the remainder of this review discusses the challenges and opportunities for the development of more efficient, sustainable and practical bipolar membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Zhao
- School of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Technology and Process Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Separation Membrane and Membrane Processes, Tiangong University, Tianjin 300387, China
| | - Jinyun Xu
- School of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Technology and Process Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Separation Membrane and Membrane Processes, Tiangong University, Tianjin 300387, China
| | - Yu Sun
- School of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Technology and Process Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Separation Membrane and Membrane Processes, Tiangong University, Tianjin 300387, China
| | - Minjing Li
- School of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Technology and Process Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Separation Membrane and Membrane Processes, Tiangong University, Tianjin 300387, China
| | - Guoqiang Zhong
- School of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Technology and Process Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Separation Membrane and Membrane Processes, Tiangong University, Tianjin 300387, China
| | - Xudong Hu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Advanced Ceramics and Machining Technology, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Jiefang Sun
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Diagnostic and Traceability Technologies for Food Poisoning, Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control, Beijing 100013, China
| | - Xiaoyun Li
- Advanced Materials Research Laboratory, CNOOC Tianjin Chemical Research and Design Institute, Tianjin 300131, China
| | - Han Su
- School of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Technology and Process Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Separation Membrane and Membrane Processes, Tiangong University, Tianjin 300387, China
| | - Ming Li
- School of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Technology and Process Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Separation Membrane and Membrane Processes, Tiangong University, Tianjin 300387, China
| | - Ziqi Zhang
- School of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Technology and Process Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Separation Membrane and Membrane Processes, Tiangong University, Tianjin 300387, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- School of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Technology and Process Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Separation Membrane and Membrane Processes, Tiangong University, Tianjin 300387, China
| | - Liping Zhao
- School of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Technology and Process Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Separation Membrane and Membrane Processes, Tiangong University, Tianjin 300387, China
| | - Chunming Zheng
- School of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Technology and Process Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Separation Membrane and Membrane Processes, Tiangong University, Tianjin 300387, China
| | - Xiaohong Sun
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Advanced Ceramics and Machining Technology, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
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10
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Abstract
This Review provides an overview of the emerging concepts of catalysts, membranes, and membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) for water electrolyzers with anion-exchange membranes (AEMs), also known as zero-gap alkaline water electrolyzers. Much of the recent progress is due to improvements in materials chemistry, MEA designs, and optimized operation conditions. Research on anion-exchange polymers (AEPs) has focused on the cationic head/backbone/side-chain structures and key properties such as ionic conductivity and alkaline stability. Several approaches, such as cross-linking, microphase, and organic/inorganic composites, have been proposed to improve the anion-exchange performance and the chemical and mechanical stability of AEMs. Numerous AEMs now exceed values of 0.1 S/cm (at 60-80 °C), although the stability specifically at temperatures exceeding 60 °C needs further enhancement. The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is still a limiting factor. An analysis of thin-layer OER data suggests that NiFe-type catalysts have the highest activity. There is debate on the active-site mechanism of the NiFe catalysts, and their long-term stability needs to be understood. Addition of Co to NiFe increases the conductivity of these catalysts. The same analysis for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) shows carbon-supported Pt to be dominating, although PtNi alloys and clusters of Ni(OH)2 on Pt show competitive activities. Recent advances in forming and embedding well-dispersed Ru nanoparticles on functionalized high-surface-area carbon supports show promising HER activities. However, the stability of these catalysts under actual AEMWE operating conditions needs to be proven. The field is advancing rapidly but could benefit through the adaptation of new in situ techniques, standardized evaluation protocols for AEMWE conditions, and innovative catalyst-structure designs. Nevertheless, single AEM water electrolyzer cells have been operated for several thousand hours at temperatures and current densities as high as 60 °C and 1 A/cm2, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naiying Du
- National
Research Council of Canada, 1200 Montreal Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0R6, Canada
- Energy,
Mining and Environment Research Centre, 1200 Montreal Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0R6, Canada
| | - Claudie Roy
- Energy,
Mining and Environment Research Centre, 1200 Montreal Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0R6, Canada
- National
Research Council of Canada, 2620 Speakman Drive, Mississauga, Ontario L5K 1B1, Canada
| | - Retha Peach
- Forschungszentrum
Jülich GmbH, Helmholtz Institute
Erlangen-Nürnberg for Renewable Energy (IEK-11), Cauerstaße 1, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Matthew Turnbull
- National
Research Council of Canada, 1200 Montreal Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0R6, Canada
- Energy,
Mining and Environment Research Centre, 1200 Montreal Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0R6, Canada
| | - Simon Thiele
- Forschungszentrum
Jülich GmbH, Helmholtz Institute
Erlangen-Nürnberg for Renewable Energy (IEK-11), Cauerstaße 1, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
- Department
Chemie- und Bioingenieurwesen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität
Erlangen-Nürnberg, Egerlandstr. 3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Christina Bock
- National
Research Council of Canada, 1200 Montreal Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0R6, Canada
- Energy,
Mining and Environment Research Centre, 1200 Montreal Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0R6, Canada
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11
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Chen L, Xu Q, Oener SZ, Fabrizio K, Boettcher SW. Design principles for water dissociation catalysts in high-performance bipolar membranes. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3846. [PMID: 35788131 PMCID: PMC9253156 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31429-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Water dissociation (WD, H2O → H+ + OH-) is the core process in bipolar membranes (BPMs) that limits energy efficiency. Both electric-field and catalytic effects have been invoked to describe WD, but the interplay of the two and the underlying design principles for WD catalysts remain unclear. Using precise layers of metal-oxide nanoparticles, membrane-electrolyzer platforms, materials characterization, and impedance analysis, we illustrate the role of electronic conductivity in modulating the performance of WD catalysts in the BPM junction through screening and focusing the interfacial electric field and thus electrochemical potential gradients. In contrast, the ionic conductivity of the same layer is not a significant factor in limiting performance. BPM water electrolyzers, optimized via these findings, use ~30-nm-diameter anatase TiO2 as an earth-abundant WD catalyst, and generate O2 and H2 at 500 mA cm-2 with a record-low total cell voltage below 2 V. These advanced BPMs might accelerate deployment of new electrodialysis, carbon-capture, and carbon-utilization technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lihaokun Chen
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Oregon Center for Electrochemistry, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA
| | - Qiucheng Xu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Oregon Center for Electrochemistry, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA
- Surface Physics and Catalysis (Surf Cat) Section, Department of Physics, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kgs, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Sebastian Z Oener
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Oregon Center for Electrochemistry, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA
- Department of Interface Science, Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Kevin Fabrizio
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Oregon Center for Electrochemistry, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA
| | - Shannon W Boettcher
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Oregon Center for Electrochemistry, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA.
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12
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Klemm E, Lobo CMS, Löwe A, Schallhart V, Renninger S, Waltersmann L, Costa R, Schulz A, Dietrich R, Möltner L, Meynen V, Sauer A, Friedrich KA. CHEMampere
: Technologies for sustainable chemical production with renewable electricity and
CO
2
,
N
2
,
O
2
, and
H
2
O
. CAN J CHEM ENG 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/cjce.24397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Elias Klemm
- University of Stuttgart, Institute of Technical Chemistry Stuttgart Germany
| | - Carlos M. S. Lobo
- University of Stuttgart, Institute of Technical Chemistry Stuttgart Germany
| | - Armin Löwe
- University of Stuttgart, Institute of Technical Chemistry Stuttgart Germany
| | | | - Stephan Renninger
- University of Stuttgart, Institute for Photovoltaics Stuttgart Germany
| | - Lara Waltersmann
- Fraunhofer‐Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation 70569 Stuttgart Germany
| | - Rémi Costa
- German Aerospace Center Institute of Engineering Thermodynamics Stuttgart Germany
| | - Andreas Schulz
- University of Stuttgart, Institute of Interfacial Process Engineering and Plasma Technology Stuttgart Germany
| | - Ralph‐Uwe Dietrich
- German Aerospace Center Institute of Engineering Thermodynamics Stuttgart Germany
| | | | - Vera Meynen
- University of Antwerp, Laboratory of Adsorption and Catalysis, Department of Chemistry Wilrijk Belgium
| | - Alexander Sauer
- Fraunhofer‐Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation 70569 Stuttgart Germany
- University of Stuttgart, Institute for Energy Efficiency in Production Stuttgart Germany
| | - K. Andreas Friedrich
- German Aerospace Center Institute of Engineering Thermodynamics Stuttgart Germany
- University of Stuttgart, Institute of Building Energetics, Thermal Engineering and Energy Storage Stuttgart Germany
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13
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Performance of five commercial bipolar membranes under forward and reverse bias conditions for acid-base flow battery applications. J Memb Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2021.119748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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14
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Eswaraswamy B, Goel P, Mandal P, Chandra A, Chattopadhyay S. Nanocomposite interface coupled with thickness optimization promoting water dissociation in heterogeneous bipolar membrane. POLYM ADVAN TECHNOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/pat.5521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bhuvanesh Eswaraswamy
- Department of Polymer and Process Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee Saharanpur Campus Saharanpur India
| | - Priya Goel
- Department of Polymer and Process Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee Saharanpur Campus Saharanpur India
| | - Priyabrata Mandal
- Department of Polymer and Process Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee Saharanpur Campus Saharanpur India
| | - Anusha Chandra
- Department of Polymer and Process Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee Saharanpur Campus Saharanpur India
- Department of Chemical Engineering Vignan's Foundation for Science, Technology and Research (Deemed to be University) Guntur India
| | - Sujay Chattopadhyay
- Department of Polymer and Process Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee Saharanpur Campus Saharanpur India
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15
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Blommaert M, Aili D, Tufa RA, Li Q, Smith WA, Vermaas DA. Insights and Challenges for Applying Bipolar Membranes in Advanced Electrochemical Energy Systems. ACS ENERGY LETTERS 2021; 6:2539-2548. [PMID: 34277948 PMCID: PMC8276271 DOI: 10.1021/acsenergylett.1c00618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Bipolar membranes (BPMs) are gaining interest in energy conversion technologies. These membranes are composed of cation- and anion-exchange layers, with an interfacial layer in between. This gives the freedom to operate in different conditions (pH, concentration, composition) at both sides. Such membranes are used in two operational modes, forward and reverse bias. BPMs have been implemented in various electrochemical applications, like water and CO2 electrolyzers, fuel cells, and flow batteries, while BPMs are historically designed for acid/base production. Therefore, current commercial BPMs are not optimized, as the conditions change per application. Although the ideal BPM has highly conductive layers, high water dissociation kinetics, long lifetime, and low ion crossover, each application has its own priorities to be competitive in its field. We describe the challenges and requirements for future BPMs, and identify existing developments that can be leveraged to develop BPMs toward the scale of practical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marijn
A. Blommaert
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Delft University
of Technology, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - David Aili
- Department
of Energy Conversion and Storage, Technical
University of Denmark, Building 310, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Ramato Ashu Tufa
- Department
of Energy Conversion and Storage, Technical
University of Denmark, Building 310, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Qingfeng Li
- Department
of Energy Conversion and Storage, Technical
University of Denmark, Building 310, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Wilson A. Smith
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Delft University
of Technology, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - David A. Vermaas
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Delft University
of Technology, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
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16
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Yan Z, Wycisk RJ, Metlay AS, Xiao L, Yoon Y, Pintauro PN, Mallouk TE. High-Voltage Aqueous Redox Flow Batteries Enabled by Catalyzed Water Dissociation and Acid-Base Neutralization in Bipolar Membranes. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2021; 7:1028-1035. [PMID: 34235263 PMCID: PMC8228583 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.1c00217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Aqueous redox flow batteries that employ organic molecules as redox couples hold great promise for mitigating the intermittency of renewable electricity through efficient, low-cost diurnal storage. However, low cell potentials and sluggish ion transport often limit the achievable power density. Here, we explore bipolar membrane (BPM)-enabled acid-base redox flow batteries in which the positive and negative electrodes operate in the alkaline and acidic electrolytes, respectively. This new configuration adds the potential arising from the pH difference across the membrane and enables an open circuit voltage of ∼1.6 V. In contrast, the same redox molecules operating at a single pH generate ∼0.9 V. Ion transport in the BPM is coupled to the water dissociation and acid-base neutralization reactions. Interestingly, experiments and numerical modeling show that both of these processes must be catalyzed in order for the battery to function efficiently. The acid-base concept provides a potentially powerful approach to increase the energy storage capacity of aqueous redox flow batteries, and insights into the catalysis of the water dissociation and neutralization reactions in BPMs may be applicable to related electrochemical energy conversion devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhifei Yan
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Ryszard J. Wycisk
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, United States
| | - Amy S. Metlay
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Langqiu Xiao
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Yein Yoon
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
| | - Peter N. Pintauro
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, United States
| | - Thomas E. Mallouk
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States
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17
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Banitaba SN, Ehrmann A. Application of Electrospun Nanofibers for Fabrication of Versatile and Highly Efficient Electrochemical Devices: A Review. Polymers (Basel) 2021; 13:1741. [PMID: 34073391 PMCID: PMC8197972 DOI: 10.3390/polym13111741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Revised: 05/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Electrochemical devices convert chemical reactions into electrical energy or, vice versa, electricity into a chemical reaction. While batteries, fuel cells, supercapacitors, solar cells, and sensors belong to the galvanic cells based on the first reaction, electrolytic cells are based on the reversed process and used to decompose chemical compounds by electrolysis. Especially fuel cells, using an electrochemical reaction of hydrogen with an oxidizing agent to produce electricity, and electrolytic cells, e.g., used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, are of high interest in the ongoing search for production and storage of renewable energies. This review sheds light on recent developments in the area of electrospun electrochemical devices, new materials, techniques, and applications. Starting with a brief introduction into electrospinning, recent research dealing with electrolytic cells, batteries, fuel cells, supercapacitors, electrochemical solar cells, and electrochemical sensors is presented. The paper concentrates on the advantages of electrospun nanofiber mats for these applications which are mostly based on their high specific surface area and the possibility to tailor morphology and material properties during the spinning and post-treatment processes. It is shown that several research areas dealing with electrospun parts of electrochemical devices have already reached a broad state-of-the-art, while other research areas have large space for future investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrea Ehrmann
- Faculty of Engineering and Mathematics, Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences, 33619 Bielefeld, Germany
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18
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Sturman M, Oelgemöller M. Process Parameters in the Electrochemical Reduction of Carbon Dioxide to Ethylene. CHEMBIOENG REVIEWS 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/cben.202100004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Sturman
- James Cook University College of Science and Engineering 1 James Cook Drive 4811 Townsville Queensland Australia
| | - Michael Oelgemöller
- James Cook University College of Science and Engineering 1 James Cook Drive 4811 Townsville Queensland Australia
- Ghent University Department of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry Krijgslaan 281 S4 9000 Gent Belgium
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19
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Al-Dhubhani E, Swart H, Borneman Z, Nijmeijer K, Tedesco M, Post JW, Saakes M. Entanglement-Enhanced Water Dissociation in Bipolar Membranes with 3D Electrospun Junction and Polymeric Catalyst. ACS APPLIED ENERGY MATERIALS 2021; 4:3724-3736. [PMID: 34056554 PMCID: PMC8159163 DOI: 10.1021/acsaem.1c00151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
With the use of bipolar membranes (BPMs) in an expanding range of applications, there is an urgent need to understand and improve the catalytic performance of BPMs for water dissociation, as well as to increase their physical and chemical stability. In this regard, electrospinning BPMs with 2D and 3D junction structures have been suggested as a promising route to produce high-performance BPMs. In this work, we investigate the effect of entangling anion and cation exchange nanofibers at the junction of bipolar membranes on the water dissociation rate. In particular, we compare the performance of different tailor-made BPMs with a laminated 2D junction and a 3D electrospun entangled junction, while using the same type of anion and cation exchange polymers in a single/dual continuous electrospinning manufacturing method. The bipolar membrane with a 3D entangled junction shows an enhanced water dissociation rate as compared to the bipolar membrane with laminated 2D junction, as measured by the decreased bipolar membrane potential. Moreover, we investigate the use of a third polymer, that is, poly(4-vinylpyrrolidine) (P4VP), as a catalyst for water dissociation. This polymer confirmed that a 3D entangled junction BPM (with incorporated P4VP) gives a higher water dissociation rate than does a 2D laminated junction BPM with P4VP as the water dissociation catalyst. This work demonstrates that the entanglement of the anion exchange polymer with P4VP as the water dissociation catalyst in a 3D junction is promising to develop bipolar membranes with enhanced performance as compared to the conventionally laminated membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emad Al-Dhubhani
- Wetsus,
European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, P.O. Box 1113, Leeuwarden 8900 CC, The Netherlands
| | - Hendrik Swart
- Wetsus,
European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, P.O. Box 1113, Leeuwarden 8900 CC, The Netherlands
| | - Zandrie Borneman
- Membrane
Materials and Processes, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, Eindhoven 5600 MB, The Netherlands
| | - Kitty Nijmeijer
- Membrane
Materials and Processes, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, Eindhoven 5600 MB, The Netherlands
| | - Michele Tedesco
- Wetsus,
European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, P.O. Box 1113, Leeuwarden 8900 CC, The Netherlands
| | - Jan W. Post
- Wetsus,
European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, P.O. Box 1113, Leeuwarden 8900 CC, The Netherlands
| | - Michel Saakes
- Wetsus,
European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, P.O. Box 1113, Leeuwarden 8900 CC, The Netherlands
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20
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Blommaert MA, Sharifian R, Shah NU, Nesbitt NT, Smith WA, Vermaas DA. Orientation of a bipolar membrane determines the dominant ion and carbonic species transport in membrane electrode assemblies for CO 2 reduction. JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY. A 2021; 9:11179-11186. [PMID: 34094566 PMCID: PMC8112234 DOI: 10.1039/d0ta12398f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
A bipolar membrane (BPM), consisting of a cation and an anion exchange layer (CEL and AEL), can be used in an electrochemical cell in two orientations: reverse bias and forward bias. A reverse bias is traditionally used to facilitate water dissociation and control the pH at either side. A forward bias has been proposed for several applications, but insight into the ion transport mechanism is lacking. At the same time, when implementing a BPM in a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) for CO2 reduction, the BPM orientation determines the environment of the CO2 reduction catalyst, the anolyte interaction and the direction of the electric field at the interface layer. In order to understand the transport mechanisms of ions and carbonic species within a bipolar membrane electrode assembly (BPMEA), these two orientations were compared by performing CO2 reduction. Here, we present a novel BPMEA using a Ag catalyst layer directly deposited on the membrane layer at the vapour-liquid interface. In the case of reverse bias, the main ion transport mechanism is water dissociation. CO2 can easily crossover through the CEL as neutral carbonic acid due to the low pH in the reverse bias. Once it enters the AEL, it will be transported to the anolyte as (bi)carbonate because of the presence of hydroxide ions. When the BPM is in the forward bias mode, with the AEL facing the cathode, no net water dissociation occurs. This not only leads to a 3 V lower cathodic potential but also reduces the flux of carbonic species through the BPM. As the pH in the AEL is higher, (bi)carbonate is transported towards the CEL, which then blocks the majority of those species. However, this forward bias mode showed a lower selectivity towards CO production and a higher salt concentration was observed at the cathode surface. The high overpotential and CO2 crossover in reverse bias can be mitigated via engineering BPMs, providing higher potential for future application than that of a BPM in forward bias owing to the intrinsic disadvantages of salt recombination and poor faradaic efficiency for CO2 reduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marijn A Blommaert
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Delft University of Technology 2629 HZ Delft The Netherlands
| | - Rezvan Sharifian
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Delft University of Technology 2629 HZ Delft The Netherlands
- Wetsus, European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology 8911 MA Leeuwarden The Netherlands
| | - Namrata U Shah
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Delft University of Technology 2629 HZ Delft The Netherlands
| | - Nathan T Nesbitt
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Delft University of Technology 2629 HZ Delft The Netherlands
| | - Wilson A Smith
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Delft University of Technology 2629 HZ Delft The Netherlands
| | - David A Vermaas
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Delft University of Technology 2629 HZ Delft The Netherlands
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