Probing membrane and interface properties inconcentrated electrolyte solutions

Abstract

This study deals with the membrane and interface electrical properties investigation by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The EIS is a powerful technique for characterizing electrical behavior of systems in which coupled electrical processes occur at different rates.A systematics tudy on the effect of solution concentration,temperature and velocity, on the electrical resistance of anion-and cation- exchange membranes (AEMs and CEMs) and their interfaces (electrical double layer and diffusion boundary layer), was carried out. At the best of our knowledge, for t he first time electrolyte concentrations up to 4 M were used for the study of membranes and interface by EIS. Moreover, Pulsed Gradient Spin Echo Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (PGSE-NMR)technique was used to measure the water self-diffusion coefficients in swelled membrane as a function of the solution concentration and temperature.These measurements gave additional important insights about the effect of the electrolyte solution and fixed charges concentration in membrane,on membrane microstructure and its transport and electrical properties. & 2014TheAuthors.PublishedbyElsevierB.V.ThisisanopenaccessarticleundertheCCBY