Advanced Membranes for Energy Storage and Conversion

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2023) | Viewed by 10025

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, China
Interests: membrane separator; proton exchange membranes; membrane struture design; battery materials; polymer electrolytes; electrochemistry; lithium–ion batteries; fuel cells
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
School of Textile Science and Engineering, Tiangong University, No. 399 BinShuiXi Road, XiQing District, Tianjin 300387, China
Interests: electrospinning; nanofiber; membrane distillation; separator
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

To meet the growing demand for new technologies, such as global new energy vehicles, portable power supply and large-scale smart grids, electrochemical energy storage and conversion devices, such as batteries, fuel cells, capacitors, etc. have been rapidly developed in recent decades. However, these devices have not yet reached complete maturity in terms of performance and cost reduction. As one of the key components of the devices, the membrane acting as a separator or solid-electrolyte to facilitate ion conducting and prevent electronic contact plays an important role in boosting the performance of the devices. It is imperative to develop advanced membranes for energy storage and conversion device. A qualified membrane should be endowed with high ionic conduction, electrical insulation, high safety, long-term stability and low cost. Additionally, increasing challenging demands for membranes with novel structures and multi-functions have prompted scientists to further investigate. It is for this reason that we are pleased to invite you to submit this Special Issue entitled Advanced Membranes for Energy Storage and Conversion.

The Special Issue focuses on the state-of-the-art and future developments in the research area of novel membranes in the application of advanced energy storage and conversion. Original research articles and reviews focused on the field of the membrane (including polymer membranes, ceramic membranes, and hybrid membranes) but also gel or solid electrolyte membranes are welcomed. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following: batteries, redox flow batteries, capacitors and fuel cells.

Dr. Liyuan Wang
Dr. Jingge Ju
Guest Editors

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 2700 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

  • membrane separator
  • electrolyte membranes
  • ion-conducting membranes
  • functional interlayer membranes
  • fuel cells
  • batteries

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 2774 KiB  
Article
PEM Electrochemical Hydrogen Compression with Sputtered Pt Catalysts
by Galin Borisov, Nevelin Borisov, Jochen Heiss, Uwe Schnakenberg and Evelina Slavcheva
Membranes 2023, 13(6), 594; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes13060594 - 12 Jun 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1534
Abstract
This work presents research on thin magnetron-sputtered platinum (Pt) films deposited over commercial gas diffusion electrodes and applied to convert and pressurize hydrogen in an electrochemical hydrogen pump. The electrodes were integrated into a membrane electrode assembly with a proton conductive membrane. Their [...] Read more.
This work presents research on thin magnetron-sputtered platinum (Pt) films deposited over commercial gas diffusion electrodes and applied to convert and pressurize hydrogen in an electrochemical hydrogen pump. The electrodes were integrated into a membrane electrode assembly with a proton conductive membrane. Their electrocatalytic efficiency toward hydrogen oxidation and hydrogen evolution reactions was studied in a self-made laboratory test cell by means of steady-state polarization curves and cell voltage measurements (U/j and U/pdiff characteristics). The achieved current density at a cell voltage of 0.5 V, the atmospheric pressure of the input hydrogen, and a temperature of 60 °C was more than 1.3 A cm−2. The registered increase in the cell voltage with the increasing pressure was only 0.05 mV bar−1. Comparative data with commercial E-TEK electrodes reveal the superior catalyst performance and essential cost reduction of the electrochemical hydrogen conversion on the sputtered Pt films. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Membranes for Energy Storage and Conversion)
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21 pages, 5927 KiB  
Article
Analyses of the Effects of Electrolyte and Electrode Thickness on High Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (H-TPEMFC) Quality
by Shubham Manoj Nawale, Mangaliso Menzi Dlamini and Fang-Bor Weng
Membranes 2023, 13(1), 12; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes13010012 - 22 Dec 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1852
Abstract
Researchers have been striving to minimize proton exchange membrane fuel cell components thickness. This is believed to reduce the losses (active losses, ohmic losses and mass transfer losses) associated with this cell. In this study, we numerically analyze the electrodes and electrolyte thickness [...] Read more.
Researchers have been striving to minimize proton exchange membrane fuel cell components thickness. This is believed to reduce the losses (active losses, ohmic losses and mass transfer losses) associated with this cell. In this study, we numerically analyze the electrodes and electrolyte thickness effects on high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell (H-TPEMFC) performance. COMSOL Multiphysics is adopted to model both the impedance spectroscopy and polarization of the cell. Increased cell catalyst layer (thick electrode) improves the overall cell performance by ±10%, because of the improved reaction rate. It presents 0.89 mol m−3 lesser oxygen compared to that of the thin electrode cell. On the contrary, thick cell electrodes come with increased mass transport loss. The high reaction rate is also confirmed by the high amount of generated water, which is 0.42 mol m−3 higher than that of thin electrode cell. The experiment used to set the modeling parameter renders results with only less than 5% discrepancy to the modeling results. Also revealed is that over a limited range, electrolytes thickness variation has negligible effects on H-TPEMFC performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Membranes for Energy Storage and Conversion)
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16 pages, 4651 KiB  
Article
Effect of the Solvate Environment of Lithium Cations on the Resistance of the Polymer Electrolyte/Electrode Interface in a Solid-State Lithium Battery
by Alexander V. Chernyak, Nikita A. Slesarenko, Anna A. Slesarenko, Guzaliya R. Baymuratova, Galiya Z. Tulibaeva, Alena V. Yudina, Vitaly I. Volkov, Alexander F. Shestakov and Olga V. Yarmolenko
Membranes 2022, 12(11), 1111; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes12111111 - 08 Nov 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1595
Abstract
The effect of the composition of liquid electrolytes in the bulk and at the interface with the LiFePO4 cathode on the operation of a solid-state lithium battery with a nanocomposite polymer gel electrolyte based on polyethylene glycol diacrylate and SiO2 was [...] Read more.
The effect of the composition of liquid electrolytes in the bulk and at the interface with the LiFePO4 cathode on the operation of a solid-state lithium battery with a nanocomposite polymer gel electrolyte based on polyethylene glycol diacrylate and SiO2 was studied. The self-diffusion coefficients on the 7Li, 1H, and 19F nuclei in electrolytes based on LiBF4 and LiTFSI salts in solvents (gamma-butyrolactone, dioxolane, dimethoxyethane) were measured by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) with a magnetic field gradient. Four compositions of the complex electrolyte system were studied by high-resolution NMR. The experimentally obtained 1H chemical shifts are compared with those theoretically calculated by quantum chemical modeling. This made it possible to suggest the solvate shell compositions that facilitate the rapid transfer of the Li+ cation at the nanocomposite electrolyte/LiFePO4 interface and ensure the stable operation of a solid-state lithium battery. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Membranes for Energy Storage and Conversion)
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17 pages, 4665 KiB  
Article
Structure, Thermal Properties and Proton Conductivity of the Sulfonated Polyphenylquinoxalines
by Anna V. Pisareva, Nataliya M. Belomoina, Elena G. Bulycheva, Mikhail M. Ilyin, Evgeniya Y. Postnova, Rostislav V. Pisarev, Tatiana S. Zyubina, Alexander S. Zyubin, Alexander I. Karelin and Yury A. Dobrovolsky
Membranes 2022, 12(11), 1095; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes12111095 - 03 Nov 2022
Viewed by 1076
Abstract
This paper briefly reviews the results of scientific research on the proton conductivity of sulfonated polyphenylquinoxalines. Synthesis, structure (IR spectroscopy, SEM, quantum-chemical modeling, molecular weight distribution), moisture capacity, thermal properties, and proton conductivity of sulfonated polyphenylquinoxalines (sulfur content 2.6, 4.2, 5.5, and 7%) [...] Read more.
This paper briefly reviews the results of scientific research on the proton conductivity of sulfonated polyphenylquinoxalines. Synthesis, structure (IR spectroscopy, SEM, quantum-chemical modeling, molecular weight distribution), moisture capacity, thermal properties, and proton conductivity of sulfonated polyphenylquinoxalines (sulfur content 2.6, 4.2, 5.5, and 7%) were studied. The relative stable configurations of sulfonated polyphenylquinoxalines with different positions of benzene rings and sulfogroups with the help of quantum chemical modeling were modeled. Sulfonation of the starting polyphenylquinoxalines was confirmed by IR spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The SEM method was used to study the surface of sulfonated polyphenylquinoxalines, and sulfonation regions were found. It was shown that sulfonated polyphenylquinoxalines contain water and are stable up to 250 °C; on further heating, the decomposition of the sulfogroups occurs. The conductivity of the obtained polymer electrolytes was studied by impedance spectroscopy, and long-term tests were carried out. It is shown that the proton conductivity at an ambient humidity of 98 rel. % reaches values 10−6–10−3 S/cm depending on the degree of sulfonation. It was shown that even after long-term storage in air (7 years), samples of sulfonated polyphenylquinoxalines with a high sulfur content of 7% at 98% air humidity have a conductivity of 8 × 10−4 S/cm. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Membranes for Energy Storage and Conversion)
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12 pages, 1516 KiB  
Article
Mechanism Understanding of Li-ion Separation Using A Perovskite-Based Membrane
by Mahsa Golmohammadi, Meysam Habibi, Sima Rezvantalab, Yasin Mehdizadeh Chellehbari, Reza Maleki and Amir Razmjou
Membranes 2022, 12(11), 1042; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes12111042 - 26 Oct 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1713
Abstract
Lithium ions play a crucial role in the energy storage industry. Finding suitable lithium-ion-conductive membranes is one of the important issues of energy storage studies. Hence, a perovskite-based membrane, Lithium Lanthanum Titanate (LLTO), was innovatively implemented in the presence and absence of solvents [...] Read more.
Lithium ions play a crucial role in the energy storage industry. Finding suitable lithium-ion-conductive membranes is one of the important issues of energy storage studies. Hence, a perovskite-based membrane, Lithium Lanthanum Titanate (LLTO), was innovatively implemented in the presence and absence of solvents to precisely understand the mechanism of lithium ion separation. The ion-selective membrane’s mechanism and the perovskite-based membrane’s efficiency were investigated using Molecular Dynamic (MD) simulation. The results specified that the change in the ambient condition, pH, and temperature led to a shift in LLTO pore sizes. Based on the results, pH plays an undeniable role in facilitating lithium ion transmission through the membrane. It is noticeable that the hydrogen bond interaction between the ions and membrane led to an expanding pore size, from (1.07 Å) to (1.18–1.20 Å), successfully enriching lithium from seawater. However, this value in the absence of the solvent would have been 1.1 Å at 50 °C. It was found that increasing the temperature slightly impacted lithium extraction. The charge analysis exhibited that the trapping energies applied by the membrane to the first three ions (Li+, K+, and Na+) were more than the ions’ hydration energies. Therefore, Li+, K+, and Na+ were fully dehydrated, whereas Mg2+ was partially dehydrated and could not pass through the membrane. Evaluating the membrane window diameter, and the combined effect of the three key parameters (barrier energy, hydration energy, and binding energy) illustrates that the required energy to transport Li ions through the membrane is higher than that for other monovalent cations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Membranes for Energy Storage and Conversion)
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13 pages, 1815 KiB  
Article
Nanocomposite Membranes Based on Fluoropolymers for Electrochemical Energy Sources
by Irina Falina, Natalia Kononenko, Sergey Timofeev, Michail Rybalko and Ksenia Demidenko
Membranes 2022, 12(10), 935; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes12100935 - 27 Sep 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1249
Abstract
The physicochemical and transport properties (ion-exchange capacity, water content, diffusion permeability, conductivity, and current-voltage characteristic) of a series of perfluorinated membranes with an inert fluoropolymer content from 0 to 40%, obtained by polymer solution casting, were studied. Based on the analysis of the [...] Read more.
The physicochemical and transport properties (ion-exchange capacity, water content, diffusion permeability, conductivity, and current-voltage characteristic) of a series of perfluorinated membranes with an inert fluoropolymer content from 0 to 40%, obtained by polymer solution casting, were studied. Based on the analysis of the parameters of the extended three-wire model, the effect of an inert component on the path of electric current flow in the membrane and its selectivity were estimated. The mechanical characteristics of the membranes, such as Young’s modulus, yield strength, tensile strength, and relative elongation, were determined from the dynamometric curves. The optimal amount of the inert polymer in the perfluorinated membrane was found to be 20%, which does not significantly affect its structure and electrotransport properties but increases the elasticity of the obtained samples. Therefore, the perfluorinated membrane with 20% of inert fluoropolymer is promising for its application in redox flow batteries and direct methanol fuel cells. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Membranes for Energy Storage and Conversion)
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