This article provides an up-to-date perspective on the use of anion-exchange membranes in fuel cells, electrolysers, redox flow batteries, reverse electrodialysis cells, and bioelectrochemical systems (e.g. microbial fuel cells). The aim is to highlight key concepts, misconceptions, the current state-of-the-art, technological and scientific limitations, and the future challenges (research priorities) related to the use of anion-exchange membranes in these energy technologies. All the references that the authors deemed relevant, and were available on the web by the manuscript submission date (30th April 2014), are included.

/pdf/anion-exchange-membranes-in-electrochemical-energy-systems-46uquenb56.pdf

Anion-exchange membranes in electrochemical energy systems

Anion exchange membranes for alkaline fuel cells: A review

Direct alcohol fuel cells (DAFCs) are attracting increasing interest as power sources for portable applications due to some unquestionable advantages over analogous devices fed with hydrogen.1 Alcohols, such as methanol, ethanol, ethylene glycol, and glycerol, exhibit high volumetric energy density, and their storage and transport are much easier as compared to hydrogen. On the other hand, the oxidation kinetics of any alcohol are much slower and still H2-fueled polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEMFCs) exhibit superior electrical performance as compared to DAFCs with comparable electroactive surface areas.2,3 Increasing research efforts are therefore being carried out to design and develop more efficient anode electrocatalysts for DAFCs.

Palladium-Based Electrocatalysts for Alcohol Oxidation in Half Cells and in Direct Alcohol Fuel Cells

Recent development of polymer electrolyte membranes for fuel cells.

Qing Lin Liu

Papers

Anion exchange membranes based on quaternized polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene-ran-butylene)-block-polystyrene for direct methanol alkaline fuel cells

Preparation and characterization of cross-linked quaternized poly(vinyl alcohol) membranes for anion exchange membrane fuel cells

Synthesis and characterization of cross-linked quaternized poly(vinyl alcohol)/chitosan composite anion exchange membranes for fuel cells

Quaternized cardo polyetherketone anion exchange membrane for direct methanol alkaline fuel cells

Performance of organic-inorganic hybrid anion-exchange membranes for alkaline direct methanol fuel cells