Application of bipolar membrane (BPM)-based technology to green energy and environmental sustainability

초록

Bipolar Membranes (BPMs) are pivotal in advancing sustainable energy and environmental management technologies. This review explores the fundamental concepts and recent advancements of BPM technology, emphasizing its essential role in green energy production and resource recovery. A key contribution of this study is the detailed analysis of bipolar membrane electrodialysis (BMED), an innovative process that produces acids and bases from salt solutions without chemical additives, offering enhanced energy efficiency and reduced environmental impact. We examine the operational mechanisms of BPMs under forward and reverse bias, focusing on their integration into applications such as water electrolysis for hydrogen generation, fuel cells, redox flow batteries, and CO2 electrolysis. Our findings demonstrate that BPM-integrated systems significantly enhance sustainability, particularly in wastewater treatment, ammonia nitrogen recovery, and nutrient recovery. Despite these advancements, challenges like membrane stability and scalability remain. We propose future research directions to optimize BPM and BMED technologies for scalable, sustainable industrial solutions.

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