Development of a Superior Anion Exchange Membrane with Hyperbranched Polymer for Anion Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis

The production of hydrogen using membrane-based electrolyzersposes significant advantages and benefits compared to traditionalelectrolysis methods. Among the electrolyzers, anion exchangemembrane water electrolysis (AEMWE) has emerged as one of thepromising technologies owing to its unique advantages. However,the development of efficient AEMs for water electrolysis presentssignificant challenges, particularly in achieving enhanceddimensional stability and conductivity. In this study, ahyperbranched polyesteramide (HPEA) was synthesized andblended with poly(ether sulfone) (PES) to address the challenges.The resulting QPES-HPEA blend membrane exhibited a lowswelling ratio and high water uptake, which are critical formaintaining dimensional stability and enhancing the hydroxide iontransport efficiency of AEM. The enhanced physical properties andoptimized structure of the membrane make it a promising candidatefor next-generation AEMs in water electrolysis systems.