• Journal of Adhesion and Interface
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.1-8
• /
• 2014

Ion exchange membrane is widely used in various fields such as electro dialysis, diffusion dialysis, redox flow battery, fuel cell. PVC cation exchange membrane using ultrasonic modification was prepared by sulfonation reaction in various sulfonation times. Sulfuric acid was used as a sulfonating agent with ultrasonic condition. We've characterized basic structure of sulfonated PVC cation exchange membrane by FT-IR, EDX, water uptake, ion exchange capacity (IEC), electrical resistance (ER), conductivity, ion transport number and surface morphology (SEM). The presence of sulfonic groups in the sulfonated PVC cation exchange membrane was confirmed by FT-IR. The maximum values of water uptake, IEC, electrical resistance and ion transport number were 40.2%, 0.87 meq/g, $35.2{\Omega}{\cdot}cm^2$ and 0.88, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
• /
• v.33 no.1
• /
• pp.21-28
• /
• 2023

The electromembrane process, which has advantages such as scalability, sustainability, and eco-friendliness, is used in renewable energy fields such as fuel cells and reverse electrodialysis power generation. Most of the research to visualize the internal flow in the electromembrane process has mainly been conducted on heterogeneous ion exchange membranes, because of the non-uniform swelling characteristics of the homogeneous membrane. In this study, we successfully visualize the electro-convective vortices near the Nafion homogeneous membrane in PDMS-based microfluidic devices. To reinforce the mechanical rigidity and minimize the non-uniform swelling characteristics of the homogeneous membrane, a newly developed swelling supporter was additionally adapted to the Nafion membrane. Thus, a clear image of electroconvective vortices near the Nafion membrane could be obtained and visualized. As a result, we observed that the heterogeneous membrane has relatively stronger electroconvective vortices compared to the Nafion homogeneous membranes. Regarding electrical response, the Nafion membrane has a higher limiting current and less overlimiting current compared to the heterogeneous membrane. Based on our visualization, it is assumed that the heterogeneous membrane has more activated electroconvective vortices, which lower electrical resistance in the overlimiting current regime. We anticipate that this work can contribute to the fundamental understanding of the ion transport characteristics depending on the homogeneity of ion exchange membranes.

• Journal of Surface Science and Engineering
• /
• v.55 no.6
• /
• pp.319-327
• /
• 2022

Ion exchange membranes have been developed from laboratory tools to industrial products with significant technical and trade impacts in the last 70 years. Today, ion exchange membranes are successfully applied for water and energy for different electro-membrane processes. Hydrogen could be produced by electrochemical water splitting using renewable energy, for example, solar, biomass, geothermal and wind energy. This review briefly summarizes the recent studies reporting the state-of-the-art anion-exchange membrane water electrolysis, especially focusing on the enhancement of the durability of anion-exchange membranes. Anion-exchange membrane water electrolysis could be used as inexpensive non-noble metal electrocatalysts that are capable of producing low cost of hydrogen. However, the main challenge of anion-exchange membrane water electrolysis is to increase the performance and durability. In this mini review, the limiting factors of the durability and the technology enhancing the durability will be discussed for anion exchange membrane water electrolysis.

• Membrane Journal
• /
• v.28 no.5
• /
• pp.332-339
• /
• 2018

In order to investigate the effect of ion exchange capacity of ion exchange membranes on the salt removal efficiency in the membrane capacitive deionization process, sulfosuccinic acid (SSA) as the cross linking agent was added to poly(vinyl alcohol)(PVA) and sulfonic acid-co-maleic acid (PSSA_MA) was put into PVA at different concentrations of 10, 50 and 90 wt% relative to PVA. As the content of PSSA_MA increased, the water content and ion exchange capacity increased and the salt removal efficiency was also increased in the membrane capacitive deionization process. The highest salt removal efficiency was 65.5% at 100 mg/L NaCl feed at a flow rate, 15 mL/min and adsorption, 1.4 V/5 min for PSSA_MA 90 wt%.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
• /
• v.56 no.3
• /
• pp.361-369
• /
• 2018

A manufacturing method has been devised to prepare novel heterogeneous cation exchange membranes by mixing ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymers with a commercial cation exchange resin. Optimum material characteristics, mixture ratios and manufacturing conditions have been worked out for achieving favorable membrane performance. Ion exchange capacity, electrical resistance, water uptake, swelling ratio and tensile strength properties were measured. SEM analysis was used to monitor morphology. Effects of vinyl acetate (VA) content, melt index (MI) and ion exchange resin content on properties of heterogeneous cation exchange membranes have been discussed. An application test was carried out by mounting a selected membrane in a membrane capacitive deionization (MCDI) system to investigate its desalination capability. 0.92 meq/g of ion exchange capacity, $8.7{\Omega}.cm^2$ of electrical resistance, $40kgf/cm^2$ of tensile strength, 19% of swelling ratio, 42% of water uptake, and 56.4% salt removal rate were achieved at best. VA content plays a leading role on the extent of physical properties and performance; however, MI is important for having uniform distribution of resin grains and achieving better ionic conductivity. Overall, manufacturing cost has been suppressed to 5-10% of that of homogeneous ion exchange membranes.

• Membrane Journal
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.143-150
• /
• 2002

Electrodialysis(ED) is a reliable and effective process for the separation and concentration of ionic compounds. However, commercial uses of ED are often hindered by the cost of the stack that mainly resulted from the ion-exchange membrane cost. In order to minimize the membrane cost, it is desired to operate ED at the highest practicable current density. In an actual ED system the high current operation is limited by the concentration polarization phenomenon. This article illustrates the transport phenomena of ions through ion exchange membranes using current-voltage relations as a characterizing method. Also recent studies on electroconvection and water-spitting phenomena caused by concentration polarization were reviewed.

• Proceedings of the Membrane Society of Korea Conference
• /
• 2004.03a
• /
• pp.1-11
• /
• 2004

Ion-exchange membranes have been widely used in various applications such as diffusion dialysis, electrolysis, electrodialysis, fuel cell etc [1-2]. When an electric current passes through the membrane system, the current is carried by both positive and negative ions in the bulk solution phases, whereas it is carried mainly by the counter-ions in the membrane. (omitted)

• Membrane Journal
• /
• v.33 no.5
• /
• pp.257-268
• /
• 2023

Membrane capacitive deionization (MCDI) is a variation of the conventional CDI process that can improve desalination efficiency by employing an ion-exchange membrane (IEM) together with a porous carbon electrode. The IEM is a key component that greatly affects the performance of MCDI. In this study, we attempted to derive the optimal fabricating factors for IEMs that can significantly improve the desalination efficiency of MCDI. For this purpose, pore-filled IEMs (PFIEMs) were then fabricated by filling the pores of the PE porous support film with monomers and carrying out in-situ photopolymerization. As a result of the experiment, the prepared PFIEMs showed excellent electrochemical properties that can be applied to various desalination and energy conversion processes. In addition, through the correlation analysis between MCDI performance and membrane characteristic parameters, it was found that controlling the degree of crosslinking of the membranes and maximizing permselectivity within a sufficiently low level of membrane electrical resistance are the most desirable membrane fabricating condition for improving MCDI performance.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
• /
• v.7 no.6
• /
• pp.1132-1141
• /
• 1996

Heterogeneous cation exchange membrane(HCEM) was prepared with LLDPE(Linear Low Density Poly-ethylene) as binder, powdered cation exchange resins($diameter{\leq}149{\mu}m$) as ion-exchange material and glycerol as additive for electrodialysis and electrodeionization system. The weight ratio of (binder/ion exchange)/glycerol was (60%/40%)/5%, (55%/45%)/5%, (50%/50%)/5% and (40%/60%)/5%. The characterization of prepared HCEM was evaluated on mechanical, electrochemical, morphology and ion permeable properties. It was compared with commercial membrane. Electrochemical properties of HCEM of (50%/50% )/5% were very similar to value of IONPURE(commercial membrane), in which ion exchange capacity, ion transfer number and membrane resistance were to be 1.733meq/g, 0.96 and $16.08{\Omega}/cm^2$, respectively. Ion permeability of the membrane was better than that of IONPURE membrane. Compared with IONPURE membrane, the HCEM had a higher tensile strength and lower elongation and modulus, in which HCEM had tensile strength of $62.33kg/cm^2$, elongation of 87.42% and modulus of $658.53kg/cm^2$. The HCEM of (50%/50% )15% was optimum combination.

• Membrane Journal
• /
• v.26 no.1
• /
• pp.43-54
• /
• 2016

In this study, we have prepared engineering polymer-based ionomers and pore-filled ion-exchange membranes (PFIEMs) employing a porous polyethylene substrate and combined them to fabricate the ionomer-PFIEM composite membranes for the reverse electrodialysis (RED) application. Both the electrochemical properties comparable to those of the commercial ion-exchange membranes (AMX/CMX, Astom Corp., Japan) and the physical stability adaptable to the practical uses have been achieved by integrating the ionomers having a high ion conductivity and the PFIEMs with an excellent mechanical strength. The RED performances have been evaluated by employing the prepared ionomer-PFIEM composite membranes and therefore excellent power generation performances were shown as the levels of 86.4% and 104.8% for the anion-exchange membrane and cation-exchange membrane, respectively, compared with those of the commercial membranes.