(557e) Thin Film Composite Ion Exchange Membranes By Electrospray

Producing polymeric membranes via electrospray has been demonstrated to be a promising approach to overcome several drawbacks present in traditional solution casting processes. The drawbacks include large consumption of expensive selective materials and solvents and the production of thick films (around 10-200 mm-thick), which confer significant electrical resistance and consequent high energy consumption in electrochemical systems. Employing electrospray as a membrane manufacturing technique allows the formation of low-cost ultrathin films (under 1 mm-thick) with tailorable properties, do not require excessive use of materials, and has the potential to be expanded to commercial materials. This research focuses on fabricating and characterizing printed ultrathin film composite ion exchange membranes using electrospray, which involves electrospraying commercial ionomer dispersions and conducting in-situ polymerization. Various types of commercial ionomers, such as Nafion, Sustainion, and Polynorbornene, are explored to produce both cation and anion exchange membranes. These well-known ion exchange materials, with exceptional chemical and thermal stability, are currently used to produce membranes for fuel cells, electrolyzers, and many other electrochemical applications via solution casting. In this work, we investigate the ability of electrospray print ionomers to form ultrathin film composite membranes for different applications, integrating their unique properties to the advantages of the electrospray printing approach. Additionally, we will evaluate the potential of electrospray to eliminate some steps required in conventional ion exchange membrane manufacturing techniques.