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Multi-scale design principles for high-performance anion exchange membranes
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DOI:10.1016/j.jechem.2026.07.074.png)
Abstract
En 中文
Anion exchange membranes (AEMs) have emerged as a key platform for next-generation alkaline electrochemical energy technologies, enabling the use of earth-abundant catalysts and offering a pathway toward cost-effective hydrogen production and energy conversion. However, their widespread deployment remains fundamentally limited by the intrinsic trade-offs among hydroxide conductivity, chemical stability, and mechanical robustness. Here, we provide a unified perspective on AEM design based on multi-scale structural engineering, highlighting that these trade-offs can only be overcome through coordinated multi-scale regulation across molecular, nanoscale, and macroscopic levels. We identify four interdependent design dimensions that govern AEM performance: polymer backbone engineering for intrinsic chemical stability, cation chemistry for controlling degradation pathways and ion dissociation, side-chain architecture for tuning ion transport and hydration structures, and organic-inorganic hybridization for reinforcing mechanical and functional properties. By integrating insights across these dimensions, we elucidate the fundamental structure-property relationships that dictate AEM behavior. Future AEM development will depend on precision polymer synthesis, biomimetic transport design, multi-scale modeling, and sustainable manufacturing. This review establishes a comprehensive framework for bridging molecular design and practical device performance, providing guidance for the rational development and scalable implementation of advanced AEM materials.
Keywords:
Anion exchange membrane
Multi-Scale structural engineering
Structure-property relationship
Polymer architecture
Journal
IF:
14.9
Papers:
6.0K
Citations:
4.5W
