In this study, two different types of ion exchange membranes are used to investigate the tendency of membrane fouling with respect to surface roughness and hydrophilicity. Commercially available membranes reinforced by electrospun nanofiber have rough and hydrophilic surfaces, and lab-made pore-filling membranes exhibit a smooth and hydrophobic surface. Three different organic surfactants (i.e., cationic, anionic and non-ionic surfactants) are chosen as foulants with similar molecular weights. It is confirmed that membrane fouling by electrical attraction mainly occurs, in which anionic and cationic foulants influence anion and cation exchange membranes, respectively. Thus, less fouling is obtained on both membranes for the non-charged foulant. The membranes with a rough surface show a higher fouling tendency than those with a smooth surface in the short-term continuous fouling tests. However, during the cyclic operations of fouling and mitigation of the commercially available membranes, the irregularities of a rough membrane surface cause a rapid increase in electrical resistance from the beginning of fouling due to excessive adsorption on the surface, but the fouling is easily mitigated due to the hydrophilic surface. On the other hand, the membranes with a smooth surface show alleviated fouling from the beginning of fouling, but the irreversible fouling occurs as foulants accumulate on the hydrophobic surface which causes membrane fouling to be favorable.
Water electrolysis is a process that uses electricity to decompose water into oxygen and hydrogen. There are several types of ion exchange membrane can be used, anion exchange membrane, proton exchange membrane and bipolar membrane for water electrolysis. Alkaline based water electrolysis has several advantages to use non-precious electrocatalysts. However, the development of low resistance and durable anion-exchange membranes is of importance. In this study, several anion-exchange membranes were developed to enhance areal resistance, in other words, to minimize areal resistance. Pore-filling anion exchange composite membranes with different contents of cross-linkers were prepared by mixing an electrolyte having good anion conducting ability. The mixture of monomers into a porous polyethylene (PE) substrate were polymerized by UV curing. The pore-filling reinforced composite membranes have been investigated in terms of good electrochemical properties, in particular, areal resistance. The conductivity and areal specific resistance were measured in both in-plane cell and through-plane cell at 80 ℃ and at room temperature, respectively. Characterization in terms of ion exchange capacity, water uptake, swelling ratio, and mechanical strength were also investigated. Acknowledgments This research was supported in part by "Cooperative Research Program for Agriculture Science and Technology Development (Project No. PJ016253)" Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea, by the New and Renewable Energy of the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning (KETEP) granted financial resource from the Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy, Republic of Korea (No. 20213030040520) and by 2022 Green Convergence Professional Manpower Training Program of the Korea Environmental Industry and Technology Institute funded by the Ministry of Environment.
Water electrolysis is a process that uses electricity to decompose water into oxygen and hydrogen. There are several types of ion exchange membrane can be used, anion exchange membrane, proton exchange membrane and bipolar membrane for water electrolysis. Alkaline based water electrolysis has several advantages to use non-precious electrocatalysts. However, the development of low resistance and durable anion-exchange membranes is of importance. In this study, several anion-exchange membranes were developed to enhance alkaline stability. Pore-filling anion exchange composite membranes with different contents of cross-linkers were prepared by mixing an electrolyte having good anion conducting ability. The mixture of monomers into a porous polyethylene (PE) substrate were polymerized by UV curing. The pore-filling reinforced composite membranes have been investigated in terms of good chemical stability properties, in particular, the variation of conductivity and mechanical strength in 1 M KOH at 60 oC. Characterization in terms of ion exchange capacity, water uptake, swelling ratio, and mechanical strength were also investigated. Acknowledgments This research was supported in part by "Cooperative Research Program for Agriculture Science and Technology Development (Project No. PJ016253)" Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea, by the New and Renewable Energy of the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning (KETEP) granted financial resource from the Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy, Republic of Korea (No. 20213030040520) and by 2022 Green Convergence Professional Manpower Training Program of the Korea Environmental Industry and Technology Institute funded by the Ministry of Environment.
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