Molecular-Level Energy Dissipation and Micropore Engineering Synergistically Enhance Anion Exchange Membrane...

Overcoming the intrinsic trade-off between ionic conductivity and mechanical robustness remains a long-standing challenge for anion exchange membranes (AEMs). Here, we report a helical tetra-functional building block derived from tetraphenyl-ethylene (TPE) that enables the simultaneous construction of interconnected ion-transport channels and mechanically reinforced polymer networks. The non-coplanar molecular configuration of TPE generates continuous microporous pathways, which establish efficient pathways for ion transport and enable 22.6% enhancement in H₂O/OH^- species diffusion. Meanwhile, restricted intramolecular rotations of the phenyl rings dissipate mechanical stress and prevent brittle fracture. Concurrently, the tetra-functional structure yields a cross-linked network, synergistically endowing the exceptional mechanical robustness of 79% enhancement in transverse tensile strength and 43% improvement in longitudinal hardness. Anion exchange membrane water electrolyzers (AEMWEs) operating under harsh conditions of temperature and high alkalinity were used for application evaluation. The QTPE-x-configurated cell delivered an enhanced current density and exceptional operational stability. The molecular-level design strategy successfully decouples ionic conductivity and mechanical integrity, providing a general framework for the development of high-performance AEMs in sustainable energy conversion.