The Chemistry and Physics of Bipolar Membranes with Applications in Water, Energy, and Decarbonization

Bipolar membranes are ionic analogues of semiconductor pn junctions made of laminated anion- and cation-selective ionomer layers which can convert electrical energy into pH gradients. Through fundamental study of the underlying rate-determining water dissociation reaction, we have improved them 10x (e.g. Science 2020, Nature Comm. 2022), opening tremendous new application space.

Speaker: Shannon Boettcher, University of Oregon