Development and Application of Ion-Exchange Membranes

Dear Colleagues,

Ion-exchange membranes are used today on a large industrial scale in electrodialysis for the deionization of sea and brackish water, and for the treatment of industrial effluents to remove toxic components or to recover valuable materials. In the electrolytic production of chlorine and sodium hydroxide, special property ion-exchange membranes are used on an industrial scale. More recently, other processes with ion-exchange membranes as key components such as diffusion dialysis, capacitive deionization, and electrodialytic water dissociation with bipolar membranes have been developed, and the interest in these processes and their applications is rapidly growing. In particular, the use of ion-exchange membranes in electrical energy storage and conversion systems such as red-ox-flow batteries or fuel cells will play an important role in future non-fossil feedstock-based electrical energy generation. All electro-membrane processes are based on the same fundamental principle, which is mass transport coupled with an electrical current across an ion-exchange membrane due to an externally applied or internally generated electrical potential gradient. Therefore, ion-exchange membranes are the key components in all these processes, which determine to a large extent the technical feasibility and the efficiency of a process in an anticipated application. However, not only are the properties of the membranes of prime importance, but the basic design of a process in a given application also has a significant effect on overall performance and costs.

The technical and commercial relevance and the development state of various processes are rather different. Electrodialysis, for example, is a mature process with a multitude of interesting applications in water desalination and in the food and drug industry. Chlorine–alkaline electrolysis is also a state-of-the-art process. Its application, however, is limited to a rather small market segment. Fuel cells are still in an early stage of development. Their future technical and commercial relevance as an efficient and convenient electrical energy source with a multitude of potential applications is considered to be very large.

This forthcoming Special Issue of Materials will concentrate on describing advances in this attractive field of research and development. The preparation and properties of the state-of-the-art ion-exchange membranes and their applications will be described. Their technical advantages and limitations will be discussed and their commercial relevance indicated. More recently developed products and processes, such as the electrodialytic water dissociation with bipolar membranes, or energy conversion and storage systems, will also be described and their research needs indicated.

It is our pleasure to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue by submitting manuscripts describing your research and development results in this interesting and important technology.

Prof. Heiner Strathmann
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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• anion-exchange membranes
• cation-exchange membranes
• homogeneous ion-exchange membranes
• hetero ion-exchange membranes
• bipolar ion-exchange membranes
• electrodialysis
• electrolysis
• diffusion dialysis
• donnandialysis
• continuous electrodeionization
• capacitive deionization
• fuel cell
• vanadium red-ox flow battery
• electrodialysis flow battery
• neutralization flow battery