High-Performance and Cost-Effective Zwitterionic Membrane for Enhanced Electrocatalytic CO₂ Reduction

Area of Science:

• Electrochemistry and Materials Science
• Focus on catalysis and membrane technology for carbon utilization

Background:

• Membranes are crucial for the efficiency and selectivity of the carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO2RR).
• Current progress is limited by the use of generic, off-the-shelf membranes.
• There is a need for high-performance membranes specifically designed for CO2RR.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and investigate a novel, high-performance, and cost-effective zwitterionic membrane for CO2RR.
• To understand the mechanism by which the tailored membrane enhances CO2RR performance.
• To evaluate the stability, durability, and reusability of the new membrane.

Main Methods:

• Preparation of a zwitterionic membrane (OQHTCC-90/PVA).
• Characterization of membrane properties, including anionic conductivity and adsorption energy for hydroxide ions.
• Assembly of an H-type cell using the OQHTCC-90/PVA membrane for CO2RR testing.
• Performance evaluation of the membrane in terms of Faradaic efficiency (FE), stability, durability, and reusability.

Main Results:

• The OQHTCC-90/PVA zwitterionic membrane demonstrated high anionic conductivity due to strong hydroxide ion adsorption.
• An H-type cell with this membrane achieved the highest FE for CO2RR products compared to commercial membranes.
• The membrane exhibited excellent alkaline stability, durability, and reusability.

Conclusions:

• The developed OQHTCC-90/PVA zwitterionic membrane is a high-performance and cost-effective material for CO2RR.
• Tailored membrane design is critical for advancing CO2RR efficiency and selectivity.
• This work provides a promising membrane solution for efficient carbon dioxide utilization.