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Hydrogen crossover behavior in anion exchange
membrane water electrolysis
Authors: LAN Xinyu1,2, ZHAO Yutong1,2, ZHAO Yun1, HUANG Riyang1,2, ZHANG Xiangyu1,2, ZHANG Rui1, WANG Xin3, YU Hongmei1, SHAO Zhigang1
Units: 1. Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China; 2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China; 3. Huadian Technology & Industry Co., Ltd., Beijing 100160, China
KeyWords: AEMWE; AEM; hydrogen crossover; hydrogen crossover in oxygen; polyarylene-based membrane; N-methyl quinuclidinium
ClassificationCode:TQ116.2;TQ028.8
year,volume(issue):pagination: 2026,46(2):153-162

Abstract:
Polyarylene-based anion exchange membranes have developed rapidly in recent years owing to their outstanding chemical stability and mechanical strength. Nevertheless, their hydrogen crossover behavior still lacks systematic evaluation. In this study, three types of polyarylene-based anion exchange membranes with different structures were selected, and their hydrogen crossover characteristics under constant-current electrolysis were systematically investigated. The results indicated that this type of membrane exhibited favorable hydrogen barrier performance: the hydrogen crossover in oxygen gradually decreased with increasing current density, remaining below the lower explosive limit of hydrogen (4%) throughout the process, and further dropped to below 2% when the current density exceeded 0.3 A/cm2. Taking a poly(arylene-quinuclidinium) membrane as an example, the influences of operating time and temperature were further explored. Under stable operation for 150 h at 60 ℃ and a current density of 1 A/cm2, the hydrogen crossover in oxygen fluctuated within the range of 1%~1.3%. At current densities below 1.5 A/cm2, lower temperatures suppressed ion migration and gas diffusion, resulting in an increase in hydrogen crossover in oxygen with rising temperature. By contrast, at higher current densities, the hydrogen crossover in oxygen decreased with increasing temperature due to the reduced solubility of hydrogen in the electrolyte at elevated temperatures. 

Funds:
中国科学院A类先导专项课题(XDA0400301); 辽宁省重大项目(2024JH1/11700015); 兴辽英才计划项目(XLYC2203150)

AuthorIntro:
兰新雨(2002-),男,重庆永川人,硕士研究生,研究方向为低氢渗透阴离子交换膜.

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