Development of anion exchange blend membranes for electrochemical applications

The large-scale diffusion of energy from renewable sources will greatly contribute to the implementation of the objectives of the European energy policy, i.e. obtaining a 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, increasing renewable energies to 32% and achieving energy savings of approximately 32% by 2030 with the long-term goal of a climate-neutral Europe in 2050. In this context, fuel cells-based devices are considered the most attractive power source for their high efficiency and low emissions [1-2] while, among the several methods for "green" hydrogen production, water electrolysis remains the most reliable and efficient [3]. The devices based on anion exchange membranes (AEMs) are, nowadays, the most studied due to the use of non precious metal catalysts, the possibility to use non critical raw materials and low cost of the system. The main transport phenomena that occur within an AEM are the transport of water and anions, which are strictly related. The maintenance of an optimal level of water is a critical issue in the membranes because sufficient water is needed to maintain high conductivity. In this work, we propose the development of blend membranes based on commercial FAA3 ionomer and commercial Vinavil polymers (solid, redispersible powder and dispersion) for application in electrochemical devices for energy conversion and production. In particular a 10 wt % of four different polymers were used to prepare the blend membranes. Chemical-physical, rheological, mechanical and electrochemical properties will be correlated with the electrochemical performance to understand the influence of different polymer backbone, physical-chemical carachteristics, synthesis process and physical form. Preliminary anion conductivity tests highlighted a higher conductivity in blend membranes than bare recast and commercial membranes