Advanced Electro-Membrane and Electro-Membrane Processes

A special issue of Membranes (ISSN 2077-0375). This special issue belongs to the section "Membrane Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2023) | Viewed by 3863

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Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 1, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic
Interests: applied electrochemistry; membrane separation; electrodialysis; sensors and biosensors
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Electro-membrane processes include separation based on an applied potential as a driving force for mass transport and the use of ion perm-selective membranes. Because of their intrinsic features, particularly in the separation of ions, electro-membrane processes have found a broad range of applications in waste/water treatment, food industry, dairy industry, and environmental protection. The key element in electro-membrane processes is the ion perm-selective membrane. The efficiency of the electro-membrane processes is highly reliant on the type and quality of the membrane used in the system. Therefore, each factor that affects the membrane performance and stability also influences the efficiency of the process. Thus, the preparation of membranes with characteristics that favor the electro-membrane processes is indispensable. Moreover, in addition to ion separation, electro-membrane processes using bipolar membranes are used for pH adjustment without altering the total solid content, which is particularly beneficial for the food industry where the quality of the product must be preserved during the process. Furthermore, reverse electrodialysis offers an attractive technique for energy generation achieved by mixing waters with different salinity. On the other hand, technological advancement enables the production of membrane stacks with high effectiveness which also cause the further spread of the electro-membrane processes.

This special issue of Membranes aims to collect experimental, theoretical, and review articles written in the field of electro-membranes and electro-membrane processes. The following areas are of interest for this Special Issue:

  • Ion-exchange membranes: preparation and characterization;
  • Electrodialysis;
  • Electrodialysis with bipolar membranes;
  • Diffusion dialysis;
  • Reverse electrodialysis;
  • Membrane processes in gas separation;
  • Pressure-driven processes;
  • Industrial economic study of electro-membrane processes.

Dr. Amirmansoor Ashrafi
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • ion-exchange membranes: preparation and characterization
  • electrodialysis
  • electrodialysis with bipolar membranes
  • diffusion dialysis
  • reverse electrodialysis
  • membrane processes in gas separation
  • pressure-driven processes
  • industrial economic study of electro-membrane processes

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 5279 KiB  
Article
Nanoflake NiMn Layered Double Hydroxide Coated on Porous Membrane-like Ni-Foam for Sustainable and Efficient Electrocatalytic Oxygen Evolution
by Verjesh Kumar Magotra, Arjun Magotra, Sawanta S. Mali, Hee C. Jeon, Tae W. Kang, Amol S. Salunke, Chang Kook Hong, Nabeen K. Shrestha, Hyunsik Im and Akbar I. Inamdar
Membranes 2023, 13(9), 748; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes13090748 - 22 Aug 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1219
Abstract
Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) have gained vast importance as an electrocatalyst for water electrolysis to produce carbon-neutral and clean hydrogen energy. In this work, we demonstrated the fabrication of nano-flake-like NiMn LDH thin film electrodes onto porous membrane-like Ni-foam by using a simple [...] Read more.
Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) have gained vast importance as an electrocatalyst for water electrolysis to produce carbon-neutral and clean hydrogen energy. In this work, we demonstrated the fabrication of nano-flake-like NiMn LDH thin film electrodes onto porous membrane-like Ni-foam by using a simple and cost-effective electrodeposition method for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Various Ni1-xMnx LDH (where x = 0.15, 0.25, 0.35, 0.50 and 0.75) thin film electrodes are utilized to achieve the optimal catalyst for an efficient and sustainable OER process. The various composition-dependent surface morphologies and porous-membrane-like structure provided the high electrochemical surface area along with abundant active sites facilitating the OER. The optimized catalyst referred to as Ni0.65Mn0.35 showed excellent OER properties with an ultralow overpotential of 253 mV at a current density of 50 mAcm−2, which outperforms other state-of-the art catalysts reported in the literature. The relatively low Tafel slope of 130 mV dec−1 indicates faster and more favorable reaction kinetics for OER. Moreover, Ni0.65Mn0.35 exhibits excellent durability over continuous operation of 20 h, indicating the great sustainability of the catalyst in an alkaline medium. This study provides knowledge for the fabrication and optimization of the OER catalyst electrode for water electrolysis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Electro-Membrane and Electro-Membrane Processes)
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27 pages, 7828 KiB  
Article
Phosphates Transfer in Pristine and Modified CJMA-2 Membrane during Electrodialysis Processing of NaxH(3−x)PO4 Solutions with pH from 4.5 to 9.9
by Natalia Pismenskaya, Olesya Rybalkina, Ksenia Solonchenko, Dmitrii Butylskii and Victor Nikonenko
Membranes 2023, 13(7), 647; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes13070647 - 5 Jul 2023
Viewed by 924
Abstract
Phosphate recovery from different second streams using electrodialysis (ED) is a promising step to a nutrients circular economy. However, the relatively low ED performance hinders the widespread adoption of this environmentally sound method. The formation of “bonded species” between phosphates and the weakly [...] Read more.
Phosphate recovery from different second streams using electrodialysis (ED) is a promising step to a nutrients circular economy. However, the relatively low ED performance hinders the widespread adoption of this environmentally sound method. The formation of “bonded species” between phosphates and the weakly basic fixed groups (primary and secondary amines) of the anion exchange membrane can be the cause of decrease in current efficiency and increase in energy consumption. ED processing of NaxH(3−x)PO4 alkaline solutions and the use of intense current modes promote the formation of a bipolar junction from negatively charged bound species and positively charged fixed groups. This phenomenon causes a change in the shape of current–voltage curves, increase in resistance, and an enhancement in proton generation during long-term operation of anion-exchange membrane with weakly basic fixed groups. Shielding of primary and secondary amines with a modifier containing quaternary ammonium bases significantly improves ED performance in the recovery of phosphates from NaxH(3−x)PO4 solution with pH 4.5. Indeed, in the limiting and underlimiting current modes, 40% of phosphates are recovered 1.3 times faster, and energy consumption is reduced by 1.9 times in the case of the modified membrane compared to the pristine one. Studies were performed using a new commercial anion exchange membrane CJMA-2. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Electro-Membrane and Electro-Membrane Processes)
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18 pages, 6430 KiB  
Article
Composite Anion Exchange Membranes Based on Quaternary Ammonium-Functionalized Polystyrene and Cerium(IV) Phosphate with Improved Monovalent-Ion Selectivity and Antifouling Properties
by Andrey Manin, Daniel Golubenko, Svetlana Novikova and Andrey Yaroslavtsev
Membranes 2023, 13(7), 624; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes13070624 - 26 Jun 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1411
Abstract
The possibility of targeted change of the properties of ion exchange membranes by incorporation of various nanoparticles into the membranes is attracting the attention of many research groups. Here we studied for the first time the influence of cerium phosphate nanoparticles on the [...] Read more.
The possibility of targeted change of the properties of ion exchange membranes by incorporation of various nanoparticles into the membranes is attracting the attention of many research groups. Here we studied for the first time the influence of cerium phosphate nanoparticles on the physicochemical and transport properties of commercial anion exchange membranes based on quaternary ammonium-functionalized polystyrenes, such as heterogeneous Ralex® AM and pseudo-homogeneous Neosepta® AMX. The incorporation of cerium phosphate on one side of the membrane was performed by precipitation from absorbed cerium ammonium nitrate (CAN) anionic complex with ammonium dihydrogen phosphate or phosphoric acid. The structures of the obtained hybrid membranes and separately synthesized cerium phosphate were investigated using FTIR, P31 MAS NMR, EDX mapping, and scanning electron microscopy. The modification increased the membrane selectivity to monovalent ions in the ED desalination of an equimolar mixture of NaCl and Na2SO4. The highest selectivities of Ralex® AM and Neosepta® AMX-based hybrid membranes were 4.9 and 7.7, respectively. In addition, the modification of Neosepta® membranes also increased the resistance to a typical anionic surfactant, sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Electro-Membrane and Electro-Membrane Processes)
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