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Membranes
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Electrically Conductive Membranes
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Electrically Conductive Membranes

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2022) | Viewed by 28734

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Metin Uz

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH 44115-2214, USA
Interests: polymeric membranes; flexible electronics; biomaterials; 3D printed scaffolds/hydrogels; neural tissue engineering; drug/gene delivery for cancer treatment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Electrically conductive membranes have been receiving growing interest due to their unique structural characteristics and electrical properties. The conductive polymer or polymer-conductive material (i.e., graphene or carbon nanotubes) composite-based membranes have the potential to enable enhanced performance in controlling the flux, separation, permselectivity, antifouling, or controlled release properties via externally applied electrical stimulation. Therefore, electrically conductive membranes could be used in different applications to address various challenges in the broad field of membrane science and technology. However, there is still a need to develop novel conductive-materials-based membrane system technologies and gain mechanistic and structural understanding of electrically stimulated membranes in order to further improve this technology and its potential applications.

This Special Issue specifically focuses on “Electrically Conductive Membranes” and their potential applications, including but not limited to water treatment, separations (including biological separation), food packaging, and biomedical applications. The Special Issue expects to receive contributions in the form of original research papers sharing the latest results and review articles demonstrating the state-of-the-art technology and future directions on electrically conductive membranes. Topics may include but are not limited to novel conductive-polymeric-materials-based membrane development and characterization, composite membranes involving conductive graphene or carbon nanotubes, surface-modified conductive membranes, proton or ion conductive/exchange membranes, novel manufacturing techniques, electrical-stimuli-mediated separation or controlled release, and the economic feasibility of conductive polymeric membranes.

Dr. Metin Uz
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

  • Conductive polymers
  • Carbon-based conductive materials
  • Polymeric membranes
  • Composite/nanocomposite membranes
  • Electrical stimuli
  • Separations
  • Water treatment

  • Proton or ion conductive/exchange membranes

  • Biomedical application
  • Controlled release
  • Biological separations
  • Smart food packaging
  • Antifouling
  • Surface modification

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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12 pages, 17721 KiB  
Article
Silica Nanoparticles Reinforced Ionogel as Nonvolatile and Stretchable Conductors
by Shanshan Zhang, Zhen Li, Pei Huang, Yamei Lu and Pengfei Wang
Membranes 2020, 10(11), 354; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes10110354 - 19 Nov 2020
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2299
Abstract
Ionogels combine the advantages of being conductive, stretchable, transparent and nonvolatile, which makes them suitable to be applied as conductors for flexible electronic devices. In this paper, a series of ionogels based on 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium ethyl-sulfate ([C2mim][EtSO4]) and polyacrylic networks [...] Read more.
Ionogels combine the advantages of being conductive, stretchable, transparent and nonvolatile, which makes them suitable to be applied as conductors for flexible electronic devices. In this paper, a series of ionogels based on 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium ethyl-sulfate ([C2mim][EtSO4]) and polyacrylic networks were prepared. Silica nanoparticles (SNPs) were dispersed into the ionogel matrix to enhance its mechanical properties. The thermal, mechanical and electrical properties of the ionogels with various contents of crosslinking agents and SNPs were studied. The results show that a small amount of SNP doping just increases the breaking strain/stress and the nonvolatility of ionogels, as well as maintaining adequate conductivity and a high degree of transparency. Furthermore, the experimental results demonstrate that SNP-reinforced ionogels can be applied as conductors for dielectric elastomer actuators and stretchable wires, as well as for signal transmission. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electrically Conductive Membranes)
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13 pages, 7285 KiB  
Article
Branched Sulfonimide-Based Proton Exchange Polymer Membranes from Poly(Phenylenebenzopheneone)s for Fuel Cell Applications
by Sabuj Chandra Sutradhar, Sujin Yoon, Taewook Ryu, Lei Jin, Wei Zhang, Whangi Kim and Hohyoun Jang
Membranes 2021, 11(3), 168; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes11030168 - 27 Feb 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2598
Abstract
Improved proton conductivity and high durability are now a high concern for proton exchange membranes (PEMs). Therefore, highly proton conductive PEMs have been synthesized from branched sulfonimide-based poly(phenylenebenzophenone) (SI-branched PPBP) with excellent thermal and chemical stability. The branched polyphenylene-based carbon-carbon backbones of the [...] Read more.
Improved proton conductivity and high durability are now a high concern for proton exchange membranes (PEMs). Therefore, highly proton conductive PEMs have been synthesized from branched sulfonimide-based poly(phenylenebenzophenone) (SI-branched PPBP) with excellent thermal and chemical stability. The branched polyphenylene-based carbon-carbon backbones of the SI-branched PPBP membranes were attained from the 1,4-dichloro-2,5-diphenylenebenzophenone (PBP) monomer using 1,3,5-trichlorobenzene as a branching agent (0.1%) via the Ni-Zn catalyzed C-C coupling reaction. The as-synthesized SI-branched PPBP membranes showed 1.00~1.86 meq./g ion exchange capacity (IEC) with unique dimensional stability. The sulfonimide groups of the SI-branched PPBP membranes had improved proton conductivity (75.9–121.88 mS/cm) compared to Nafion 117 (84.74 mS/cm). Oxidation stability by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Fenton’s test study confirmed the significant properties of the SI-branched PPBP membranes. Additionally, a very distinct microphase separation between the hydrophobic and hydrophilic moieties was observed using atomic force microscopic (AFM) analysis. The properties of the synthesized SI-branched PPBP membranes demonstrate their viability as an alternative PEM material. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electrically Conductive Membranes)
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24 pages, 11703 KiB  
Article
Hydrogen Separation and Purification from Various Gas Mixtures by Means of Electrochemical Membrane Technology in the Temperature Range 100–160 °C
by Leandri Vermaak, Hein W. J. P. Neomagus and Dmitri G. Bessarabov
Membranes 2021, 11(4), 282; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes11040282 - 10 Apr 2021
Cited by 35 | Viewed by 10008
Abstract
This paper reports on an experimental evaluation of the hydrogen separation performance in a proton exchange membrane system with Pt-Co/C as the anode electrocatalyst. The recovery of hydrogen from H2/CO2, H2/CH4, and H2/NH [...] Read more.
This paper reports on an experimental evaluation of the hydrogen separation performance in a proton exchange membrane system with Pt-Co/C as the anode electrocatalyst. The recovery of hydrogen from H2/CO2, H2/CH4, and H2/NH3 gas mixtures were determined in the temperature range of 100–160 °C. The effects of both the impurity concentration and cell temperature on the separation performance of the cell and membrane were further examined. The electrochemical properties and performance of the cell were determined by means of polarization curves, limiting current density, open-circuit voltage, hydrogen permeability, hydrogen selectivity, hydrogen purity, and cell efficiencies (current, voltage, and power efficiencies) as performance parameters. High purity hydrogen (>99.9%) was obtained from a low purity feed (20% H2) after hydrogen was separated from H2/CH4 mixtures. Hydrogen purities of 98–99.5% and 96–99.5% were achieved for 10% and 50% CO2 in the feed, respectively. Moreover, the use of proton exchange membranes for electrochemical hydrogen separation was unsuccessful in separating hydrogen-rich streams containing NH3; the membrane underwent irreversible damage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electrically Conductive Membranes)
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8 pages, 3026 KiB  
Communication
On the Electrical Resistance Relaxation of 3D-Anisotropic Carbon-Fiber-Filled Polymer Composites Subjected to External Electric Fields
by Pei Huang, Yingze Cao, Zhidong Xia, Pengfei Wang and Shaosong Chen
Membranes 2021, 11(6), 412; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes11060412 - 30 May 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2742
Abstract
Flexible composites as sensors are applied under a small voltage, but the effect of the external electrical field on the resistance is always ignored and unexplored by current research. Herein, we investigate the electrical resistance relaxation of anisotropic composites when they are subjected [...] Read more.
Flexible composites as sensors are applied under a small voltage, but the effect of the external electrical field on the resistance is always ignored and unexplored by current research. Herein, we investigate the electrical resistance relaxation of anisotropic composites when they are subjected to an external electric field. The anisotropic composites were 3D-printed based on carbon-fiber-filled silicon rubber. Constant DC voltages were applied to the composites, and the output electrical current increased with time, namely the electrical resistance relax with time. The deflection and migration of carbon fibers are dominantly responsible for the resistance relaxation, and the angle’s evolution of a carbon fiber, under the application and removal of the electrical field, was well observed. The other factor hindering the resistance relaxation is the increased temperature originating from the Joule heating effect. This work provides a new understanding in the working duration and the static characteristics of flexible composites. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electrically Conductive Membranes)
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12 pages, 2100 KiB  
Article
Mechanisms of Spontaneous Curvature Inversion in Compressed Graphene Ripples for Energy Harvesting Applications via Molecular Dynamics Simulations
by James M. Mangum, Ferdinand Harerimana, Millicent N. Gikunda and Paul M. Thibado
Membranes 2021, 11(7), 516; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes11070516 - 9 Jul 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3131
Abstract
Electrically conductive, highly flexible graphene membranes hold great promise for harvesting energy from ambient vibrations. For this study, we built numerous three-dimensional graphene ripples, with each featuring a different amount of compression, and performed molecular dynamics simulations at elevated temperatures. These ripples have [...] Read more.
Electrically conductive, highly flexible graphene membranes hold great promise for harvesting energy from ambient vibrations. For this study, we built numerous three-dimensional graphene ripples, with each featuring a different amount of compression, and performed molecular dynamics simulations at elevated temperatures. These ripples have a convex cosine shape, then spontaneously invert their curvature to concave. The average time between inversion events increases with compression. We use this to determine how the energy barrier height depends on strain. A typical convex-to-concave curvature inversion process begins when the ripple’s maximum shifts sideways from the normal central position toward the fixed outer edge. The ripple’s maximum does not simply move downward toward its concave position. When the ripple’s maximum moves toward the outer edge, the opposite side of the ripple is pulled inward and downward, and it passes through the fixed outer edge first. The ripple’s maximum then quickly flips to the opposite side via snap-through buckling. This trajectory, along with local bond flexing, significantly lowers the energy barrier for inversion. The large-scale coherent movement of ripple atoms during curvature inversion is unique to two-dimensional materials. We demonstrate how this motion can induce an electrical current in a nearby circuit. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electrically Conductive Membranes)
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12 pages, 2955 KiB  
Article
Fabrication of Suspended PMMA-Graphene Membrane for High Sensitivity LC-MEMS Pressure Sensor
by Norliana Yusof, Badariah Bais, Jumril Yunas, Norhayati Soin and Burhanuddin Yeop Majlis
Membranes 2021, 11(12), 996; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes11120996 - 20 Dec 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3791
Abstract
The LC-MEMS pressure sensor is an attractive option for an implantable sensor. It senses pressure wirelessly through an LC resonator, eliminating the requirement for electrical wiring or a battery system. However, the sensitivity of LC-MEMS pressure sensors is still comparatively low, especially in [...] Read more.
The LC-MEMS pressure sensor is an attractive option for an implantable sensor. It senses pressure wirelessly through an LC resonator, eliminating the requirement for electrical wiring or a battery system. However, the sensitivity of LC-MEMS pressure sensors is still comparatively low, especially in biomedical applications, which require a highly-sensitive sensor to measure low-pressure variations. This study presents the microfabrication of an LC wireless MEMS pressure sensor that utilizes a PMMA-Graphene (PMMA/Gr) membrane supported on a silicon trench as the deformable structure. The (PMMA/Gr) membrane was employed to increase the sensor’s sensitivity due to its very low elastic modulus making it easy to deform under extremely low pressure. The overall size of the fabricated sensor was limited to 8 mm × 8 mm. The experimental results showed that the capacitance value changed from 1.64 pF to 12.32 pF when the applied pressure varied from 0 to 5 psi. This capacitance variation caused the frequency response to change from 28.74 MHz to 78.76 MHz. The sensor sensitivity was recorded with a value of 193.45 kHz/mmHg and a quality factor of 21. This study concludes that the (PMMA/Gr) membrane-based LC-MEMS pressure sensor has been successfully designed and fabricated and shows good potential in biomedical sensor applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electrically Conductive Membranes)
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12 pages, 8376 KiB  
Article
High Proton-Conductive and Temperature-Tolerant PVC-P4VP Membranes towards Medium-Temperature Water Electrolysis
by Yichen Yin, Yiming Ying, Guojuan Liu, Huiling Chen, Jingrui Fan, Zhi Li, Chuhao Wang, Zhuangyan Guo and Gaofeng Zeng
Membranes 2022, 12(4), 363; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes12040363 - 25 Mar 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2801
Abstract
Water electrolysis (WE) is a highly promising approach to producing clean hydrogen. Medium-temperature WE (100–350 °C) can improve the energy efficiency and utilize the low-grade water vapor. Therefore, a high-temperature proton-conductive membrane is desirable to realize the medium-temperature WE. Here, we present a [...] Read more.
Water electrolysis (WE) is a highly promising approach to producing clean hydrogen. Medium-temperature WE (100–350 °C) can improve the energy efficiency and utilize the low-grade water vapor. Therefore, a high-temperature proton-conductive membrane is desirable to realize the medium-temperature WE. Here, we present a polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-poly(4vinylpyridine) (P4VP) hybrid membrane by a simple cross-linking of PVC and P4VP. The pyridine groups of P4VP promote the loading rate of phosphoric acid, which delivers the proton conductivity of the PVC-P4VP membrane. The optimized PVC-P4VP membrane with a 1:2 content ratio offers the maximum proton conductivity of 4.3 × 10−2 S cm−1 at 180 °C and a reliable conductivity stability in 200 h at 160 °C. The PVC-P4VP membrane electrode is covered by an IrO2 anode, and a Pt/C cathode delivers not only the high water electrolytic reactivity at 100–180 °C but also the stable WE stability at 180 °C. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electrically Conductive Membranes)
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