Membranes in Electrochemistry Applications
A special issue of Membranes (ISSN 2077-0375). This special issue belongs to the section "Membrane Applications".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2022) | Viewed by 46372
Special Issue Editor
Interests: membranes for alkaline electrolyzer; AEMs for anion exchange membrane fuel cells and electrolyzers; ion solvating membrane; PEMs for proton exchange membrane fuel cell; PEMs for proton exchange membrane water electrolyzer
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Membranes are versatile components, useful for a broad spectrum of electrochemical energy generation and storage systems, which can address the most significant challenges posed by climate change. The main cause of the climate change is attributed to the CO2 emissions as a result of extraction and combustion of fossil fuels, which are the major sources of energy. Therefore, the need for clean, efficient energy sources has brought the attention to the development of renewable energy technologies. Fuel cells (FCs) with the byproduct of heat and water are a highly efficient and environmentally friendly alternative technology for the production of clean energy. Fuel cells can be used in a wide range of applications including stationary power generation, new energy automobiles, portable, and emergency backup power applications. Anion exchange membranes (AEMs) and proton exchange membranes (PEMs) are a critical component of low-temperature fuel cells. However, the benefits of using AEMs in AEM-FCs over PEMs in PEM-FCs include the use of in-expensive non-precious metal-based catalysts, facile reaction kinetics and minimized corrosion effects. However, compared with PEM, AEM has challenges with chemical degradation of ionic groups.
Hydrogen as an alternative clean energy carrier produced by water electrolysis using electricity from renewable power sources is a promising method for storing energy in a large scale. When compared to other available methods, water electrolysis (WE) at low temperature has the advantage of compatibility with all electricity sources and producing high purity hydrogen (>99.9%). Among the low-temperature electrolyzers, anion exchange membrane (AEM) and proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers are currently available membrane-based technologies for low-temperature water electrolysis. In addition, recently an efficient alkaline electrolyte membrane (such as ion-solvating membranes) as an alternative to the conventional diaphragm for alkaline water electrolysis (AWE) operated in highly concentrated KOH is reported. PEMWE offers several advantages, such as high energy efficiency, a great hydrogen production rate and a compact design, but it is limited by the necessity to use expensive precious-metal-based catalysts. Therefore, the benefits of using AEMs and alkaline electrolyte membranes in AEMWEs and alkaline electrolyzer over PEMs in PEMWEs include the use of non-precious transition metal electrocatalysts and cost competitive stack components such as stainless steel based bipolar plate. Therefore, one of the most critical components of the AEMFCs, AEMWEs and AWE, which has a major influence on cost, efficiency and reliability, is an AEMs and alkaline electrolyte membranes.
Compared to the AEMs and the alkaline electrolyte membranes, the PEMs are at a much higher technology readiness level and more efforts have been made with regard to their developments. However, during the past few years, in parallel to PEM we have been witnessing a growth in membrane research for AEMFC, AEMWE and AWE applications. Materials and fabrication techniques, surface and mechanical properties have been improved and used to synthesis novel membranes. This Special Issue offers a perfect site to provide target values and technical specification for AEMs and alkaline electrolyte membranes, discuss the chemical structures and the various degradation pathways, and also to introduce the state-of-the-art Innovation, technologies and development. It also includes discussion of parallel targets for PEMs, which has achieved good technology readiness level compared to the AEMs and the alkaline electrolyte membranes in both fuel cell and electrolyzers. This can give the membrane research community an overview over the most prominent and promising AEMs, alkaline electrolyte membranes and PEMs for fuel cell and electrolyzer applications. Authors are therefore kindly invited to submit their latest achievements and results; both original papers and reviews are welcome.
Dr. Fatemeh Razmjooei
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Membranes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- Anion exchange membrane (AEMs)
- Proton exchange membrane (PEMs)
- Ion solvating membrane
- Alkaline electrolyte membranes
- Membrane processes
- Membrane synthesis and modification
- AEMs for anion exchange membrane water electrolyzer (AEMWE)
- AEMs for anion exchange membrane fuel cell (AEMFC)
- PEMs for proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC)
- PEMs for proton exchange membrane water electrolyzer (PEMWE)
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.