Membranes for Energy and the Environment

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 February 2025 | Viewed by 4812

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Electrochemistry of Materials Group and International Associated Laboratory: Ionomer Materials for Energy, Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, Madirel (UMR 7246), Campus St Jérôme, 13013 Marseille, France
Interests: solid state ionics; electrochemical energy technologies; ion-conducting polymers; ionomer membranes; nanostructured materials
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Guest Editor
Department of Industrial Engineering International Associated Laboratory “Ionomer Materials for Energy”, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via del Politecnico 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
Interests: development of ionic polymeric conductors; synthesis of organic-inorganic hybrid materials; sol-gel synthesis of nanomaterials; stimuli-responsive polymers; structure-property relationship; nanostructured materials

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Guest Editor
Faculty of Material Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093, China
Interests: polymer electrolyte membranes; fuel cell

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Membranes are critical components for sustainable energy and the environment, and they hold promise for clean technology applications. They enable the transportation of ions and the selective separation of gases, and they comprise a vast panel of compositions and structures, including inorganic, organic, and hybrid membranes.

Scope:

In this symposium (https://www.european-mrs.com/membranes-energy-and-environment-emrs), we call for contributions on the synthesis, physical chemistry, properties, function, and performance of membranes, as well as their broad range of applications, including membrane technologies used for water treatment and desalination, separators used for fuel cells, batteries, electrolysers, membrane actuators, or gas separation membranes (including those for hydrogen and CO2.

Metallic and ceramic membranes are mostly used for gas separation, permeation, and high-temperature applications (such as solid oxide fuel cells).

Polymer membranes, especially ionomer membranes, are associated with low- and intermediate-temperature applications, including within the vast fields of water purification and desalination. Ionic membranes are particularly important for applications in energy storage and conversion, including separators used for metal batteries and polymer fuel cells.

This symposium will discuss various topics, from the preparation to the functional application of membranes. Contributions may include various techniques for the synthesis and shaping of membranes, their physicochemical properties and mechanisms, or their functional properties and processes. Studies on the performances of various applications and reports on composition/structure/property/performance relationships are particularly welcome.

Given the growing urgency for environmental and energy solutions, this meeting will cover the latest advances in membrane science, linking fundamental research with practical applications, and will provide an optimal venue for a lively exchange of information.

Potential topics to be covered are as follows:

  • Membrane synthesis;
  • Membrane characterization;
  • The physical chemistry of membranes;
  • Fuel cell and electrolyzer membranes;
  • Battery separators;
  • Membrane actuators;
  • Water purification and desalination membranes;
  • CO2, H2, and other gas separation membranes;
  • Catalytic membranes.

Prof. Dr. Philippe Knauth
Prof. Dr. Maria Luisa Di Vona
Prof. Dr. Hongying Hou
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 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.

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 4896 KiB  
Article
Enhancing the Separation Performance of Chitosan Membranes Through the Blending with Deep Eutectic Solvents for the Pervaporation of Polar/Non-Polar Organic Mixtures
by Francesco Galiano, Asma Msahel, Francesca Russo, Natalia Rovella, Alfonso Policicchio, Sofiane Ben Hamouda, Amor Hafiane, Roberto Castro-Muñoz and Alberto Figoli
Membranes 2024, 14(11), 237; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes14110237 - 11 Nov 2024
Viewed by 686
Abstract
This study explores the development of chitosan-based membranes blended with three distinct deep eutectic solvents (DESs) for the pervaporation separation of methanol and methyl tert-butyl ether. DESs were selected for their eco-friendly properties and their potential to enhance membrane performance. The chitosan [...] Read more.
This study explores the development of chitosan-based membranes blended with three distinct deep eutectic solvents (DESs) for the pervaporation separation of methanol and methyl tert-butyl ether. DESs were selected for their eco-friendly properties and their potential to enhance membrane performance. The chitosan (CS) membranes, both crosslinked and non-crosslinked, were characterized in terms of morphology, chemical composition, wettability, mechanical resistance, and solvent uptake. Pervaporation tests revealed that incorporating DESs significantly enhanced the membranes’ selective permeability toward methanol, with up to a threefold increase in separation efficiency compared to pristine CS membranes. The membranes demonstrated a strong dependence on feed temperature, with higher temperatures improving permeation flux but reducing separation factor. Crosslinking with glutaraldehyde further increased membrane selectivity by reducing free volume into the polymer matrix. These findings underscore the potential of DESs as green additives for improving the performance of biopolymer membranes, making them promising candidates for efficient and eco-friendly organic–organic separations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Membranes for Energy and the Environment)
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17 pages, 2890 KiB  
Article
Optimized Sulfonated Poly(Ether Ether Ketone) Membranes for In-House Produced Small-Sized Vanadium Redox Flow Battery Set-Up
by Antonino Rizzuti, Elena Dilonardo, Gennaro Cozzolino, Fabio Matera, Alessandra Carbone, Biagia Musio and Piero Mastrorilli
Membranes 2024, 14(8), 176; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes14080176 - 14 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1026
Abstract
The ionic exchange membranes represent a core component of redox flow batteries. Their features strongly affect the performance, durability, cost, and efficiency of these energy systems. Herein, the operating conditions of a lab-scale single-cell vanadium flow battery (VRFB) were optimized in terms of [...] Read more.
The ionic exchange membranes represent a core component of redox flow batteries. Their features strongly affect the performance, durability, cost, and efficiency of these energy systems. Herein, the operating conditions of a lab-scale single-cell vanadium flow battery (VRFB) were optimized in terms of membrane physicochemical features and electrolyte composition, as a way to translate such conditions into a large-scale five-cell VRFB stack system. The effects of the sulfonation degree (SD) and the presence of a filler on the performances of sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) ion-selective membranes were investigated, using the commercial perfluorosulfonic-acid Nafion 115 membrane as a reference. Furthermore, the effect of a chloride-based electrolyte was evaluated by comparing it to the commonly used standard sulfuric acid electrolyte. Among the investigated membranes, the readily available SPEEK50-0 (SD = 50%; filler = 0%) resulted in it being permeable and selective to vanadium. Improved coulombic efficiency (93.4%) compared to that of Nafion 115 (88.9%) was achieved when SPEEK50-0, in combination with an optimized chloride-based electrolyte, was employed in a single-cell VRFB at a current density of 20 mA·cm−2. The optimized conditions were successfully applied for the construction of a five-cell VRFB stack system, exhibiting a satisfactory coulombic efficiency of 94.5%. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Membranes for Energy and the Environment)
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12 pages, 3164 KiB  
Article
High-Temperature Water Electrolysis Properties of Membrane Electrode Assemblies with Nafion and Crosslinked Sulfonated Polyphenylsulfone Membranes by Using a Decal Method
by Je-Deok Kim
Membranes 2024, 14(8), 173; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes14080173 - 8 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1055
Abstract
To improve the stability of high-temperature water electrolysis, I prepared membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) using a decal method and investigated their water electrolysis properties. Nafion 115 and crosslinked sulfonated polyphenylsulfone (CSPPSU) membranes were used. IrO2 was used as the oxygen evolution reaction [...] Read more.
To improve the stability of high-temperature water electrolysis, I prepared membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) using a decal method and investigated their water electrolysis properties. Nafion 115 and crosslinked sulfonated polyphenylsulfone (CSPPSU) membranes were used. IrO2 was used as the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalyst, and Pt/C was used as the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalyst. The conductivity of the CSPPSU membrane at 80 °C and 90% RH (relative humidity) is about four times lower than that of the Nafion 115 membrane. Single-cell water electrolysis was performed while measuring the current density and performing electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) at cell temperatures from 80 to 150 °C and the stability of the current density over time at 120 °C and 1.7 V. The current density of water electrolysis using Nafion 115 and CSPPSU membranes at 150 °C and 2 V was 1.2 A/cm2 for both. The current density of the water electrolysis using the CSPPSU membrane at 120 °C and 1.7 V was stable for 40 h. The decal method improved the contact between the CSPPSU membrane and the catalyst electrode, and a stable current density was obtained. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Membranes for Energy and the Environment)
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12 pages, 2418 KiB  
Article
Heavy Metal Detection and Removal by Composite Carbon Quantum Dots/Ionomer Membranes
by Emanuela Sgreccia, Francia Sarhaly Gallardo Gonzalez, Paolo Prosposito, Luca Burratti, Michele Sisani, Maria Bastianini, Philippe Knauth and Maria Luisa Di Vona
Membranes 2024, 14(6), 134; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes14060134 - 6 Jun 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1420
Abstract
The combination of ion exchange membranes with carbon quantum dots (CQDs) is a promising field that could lead to significant advances in water treatment. Composite membranes formed by sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) with embedded CQDs were used for the detection and removal [...] Read more.
The combination of ion exchange membranes with carbon quantum dots (CQDs) is a promising field that could lead to significant advances in water treatment. Composite membranes formed by sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) with embedded CQDs were used for the detection and removal of heavy metal ions, such as lead and cadmium, from water. SPEEK is responsible for the capture of heavy metals based on the cation exchange mechanism, while CQDs detect their contamination by exhibiting changes in fluorescence. Water-insoluble “red” carbon quantum dots (rCQDs) were synthesized from p-phenylenediamine so that their photoluminescence was shifted from that of the polymer matrix. CQDs and the composites were characterized by several techniques: FTIR, Raman, UV/VIS, photoluminescence, XPS spectroscopies, and AFM microscopy. The heavy metal ion concentration was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The concentration ranges were 10.8–0.1 mM for Pb2+ and 10.0–0.27 mM for Cd2+. SPEEK/rCQDs showed a more pronounced turn-off effect for lead. The composite achieved 100% removal efficiency for lead and cadmium when the concentration was below a half of the ion exchange capacity of SPEEK. The regeneration of membranes in 1 M NaCl was also studied. A second order law was effective to describe the kinetics of the process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Membranes for Energy and the Environment)
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