Grant: Idea to Innovation

The development of polymeric membranes capable of selective anion transport is of significant and growing commercial importance due to their use in a widening range of energy and environmental technologies. However, the stability of most anion exchange membranes is poor, especially in highly alkaline solutions; thus, the commercial use of these materials is limited. A need exists for the commercial development of inexpensive, positively charged, anion exchange polymers that offer improved durability in alkali environments. A new class of material has been invented at Simon Fraser University, suitable for use in a broad range of membrane and electrochemical applications, including use as alkali-stable hydroxide exchange membranes in solid state alkaline water electrolysers, and by changing the anion, as anion exchange membranes in redox flow batteries and electrodialyzers. The objective of the work is to investigate the scale up of the polymer synthesis and to develop membrane casting technology in order to prepare polymers and membrane with sufficient technical quality and quantity to implement ex-situ and in-situ analyses of these materials in electrochemical technologies and devices.