Multicomponent transport through membranes is encountered in many applications, including photoelectrochemical CO2 reduction devices that convert CO2 into alcohols. We report the use of in-situ ATR FTIR spectroscopy to quantify the permeability of Selemion AMV, a commonly used anion exchange membrane, to mixtures of alcohols. An in-situ ATR FTIR spectrophotometer probe inserted into a standard diffusion cell enabled straightforward measurement of membrane permeability in multicomponent transport experiments without the need to periodically remove aliquots from the diffusion cell. The solubilities of alcohols in Selemion AMV were measured using a standard sorption/desorption technique. The solution-diffusion model was used to calculate alcohol diffusivities in Selemion AMV from measured permeabilities and solubilities. The relative contributions of alcohol solubility and diffusivity to overall permeability are discussed, and changes in permeability, solubility, and diffusivity with changing composition in binary and ternary alcohol mixtures are described.

Anion exchange membranes (AEMs) play an essential role in artificial photosynthesis devices, which photoelectrochemically convert CO2 and water into useful products. AEMs allow the transport of charge carriers between electrodes while minimizing the transport of CO2 reduction products (e.g., ethanol). Fundamental transport studies in AEMs relevant to artificial photosynthesis are uncommon. Herein, we describe the preparation of an imidazolium-functionalized poly(phenylene oxide) membrane. Membrane transport properties were controlled by systematic variation of the degree of imidazolium functionalization, which induced changes in the membrane water volume fraction. Ethanol permeability and ionic conductivity increased with the membrane water volume fraction. Consequently, the membranes with a relatively high ionic conductivity exhibited a relatively high ethanol permeability, presenting a trade-off in the transport properties desirable for artificial photosynthesis applications. This work seeks to enable the optimization of AEMs for artificial photosynthesis through the systematic study of membrane structure (water volume fraction) and its relevance to alcohol transport and electrolyte ion conductivity.