Anode-pressurized water electrolysis with modulated anion exchange membrane architecture.
basic_science · Level V
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- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 42135292.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-026-72950-3.
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Abstract
Anion exchange membrane water electrolyzers present a promising approach to cost-effective green H<sub>2</sub> generation, whereas integration of alkaline media and dry-cathode conditions intrinsically forbids adequate H<sub>2</sub>O/OH<sup>-</sup> conduction for efficient operation at high current densities. Herein, we develop a quinuclidinium-functionalized membrane possessing a modulated nano-porous architecture, and exploit its synergy with regulated configuration featuring an anode-to-cathode pressure gradient. By facilitating H<sub>2</sub>O permeation across interconnected hydrophilic nano-channels, a performance of 11.2 A·cm<sup>-2</sup> at 2 V and 90 °C is realized using a NiFe anode, while sufficient membrane robustness and durability enable 2000 h operation at 1 A·cm<sup>-2</sup> with suppressed decay of <1 μV·h<sup>-1</sup>. The narrowed (1-2 nm) gas avenues coordinate with applied pressure gradient to mitigate H<sub>2</sub> crossover, improving adaptability to various static-dynamic scenarios. An encouraging levelized cost of H<sub>2</sub> of 1.8 $·kg<sup>-1</sup> unveils the promise for up-scaled deployment, and this proposed membrane-condition collaboration advances to innovate next-generation energy technologies.