Research Progress on Anion Exchange Membranes for Hydrogen Production from Water Electrolysis

The global transition toward a clean and low-carbon energy structure is driving the development of the energy industry. Hydrogen, as an important secondary energy source and energy storage carrier, has gained widespread attention, with various water electrolysis technologies serving as important sources of hydrogen production. As a core component of these systems, the anion exchange membrane (AEM) plays a key role in isolating electrolyzer gases and conducting hydroxide ions. Meanwhile, this technology inherits the low-cost advantage of alkaline water electrolysis due to its use of non-precious metal catalysts, making it more conducive to cost reduction, efficiency improvement, and commercialization. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) , as a new class of AEM platforms, possess a rigid covalent structure that effectively overcomes the drawbacks of water absorption and swelling in traditional linear AEMs. Moreover, their highly ordered nanochannels enable efficient OH⁻ ion conduction within water channels, offering higher conductivity and stability compared to conventional linear polymers. This paper introduces the concept and fundamental principles of ion exchange membranes, primarily presenting and discussing the key performance indicators and ion transport mechanisms of ion exchange membranes. Subsequently, the research progress on ion exchange membranes is reciewed, and the evolutionary process and principles of anion exchange membranes from early ionic resins to the current novel composite materials are described. Finally, existing problems are explored and future research directions are prospected.