Anode-pressurized water electrolysis with modulated anion exchange membrane architecture

Anion exchange membrane water electrolyzers present a promising approach to cost-effective green H₂ generation, whereas integration of alkaline media and dry-cathode conditions intrinsically forbids adequate H₂O/OH^- conduction for efficient operation at high current densities. Herein, we develop a quinuclidinium-functionalized membrane possessing a modulated nano-porous architecture, and exploit its synergy with regulated configuration featuring an anode-to-cathode pressure gradient. By facilitating H₂O permeation across interconnected hydrophilic nano-channels, a performance of 11.2 A·cm^-2 at 2 V and 90 °C is realized using a NiFe anode, while sufficient membrane robustness and durability enable 2000 h operation at 1 A·cm^-2 with suppressed decay of <1 μV·h^-1. The narrowed (1-2 nm) gas avenues coordinate with applied pressure gradient to mitigate H₂ crossover, improving adaptability to various static-dynamic scenarios. An encouraging levelized cost of H₂ of 1.8 $·kg^-1 unveils the promise for up-scaled deployment, and this proposed membrane-condition collaboration advances to innovate next-generation energy technologies.