Research Projects

The demand for efficient green hydrogen production systems, such as water electrolyzers, has led to increased interest from academic and industrial researchers, industry leaders, and policymakers worldwide. Anion exchange membrane (AEM)-based water electrolyzers have become the preferred choice due to their numerous advantages. However, AEM materials are scarce in the open market, making research into AEM development crucial. Various polymers have been developed to create AEMs, but they have limitations such as low ion exchange capacity, weak alkaline stability, poor mechanical-dimensional strengths, and low hydroxide conductivity. This proposal aims to resolve these issues by preparing polybenzimidazole (PBI) polymer-based AAEM with multicationic exchange sites. PBI will provide alkaline stability and mechanical strength to the membrane, while multiple ion exchange sites will increase ion exchange capacity and hydroxide conductivity. To achieve these objectives, the researchers plan to synthesize various homopolymers and copolymers from monomers, prepare new nanostructured PBI with inorganic nanofillers, and construct membrane electrode assemblies. They will then study their performance in a single cell AEM water electrolyzer to screen the most suitable membranes. Based on this outcome, the researchers will further design monomers, PBI polymer, and nanostructured PBI materials to achieve the best efficiency of the membrane. In conclusion, the main goal is to develop low-cost, scalable, and efficient PBI-based alkaline anion exchange membranes for water electrolyzers to produce green hydrogen and determine their suitability as AEMs in hydrogen fuel cells.