Benchmarking anion-exchange membranes for electrocatalytic carbon monoxide reduction

Performing carbon monoxide reduction in membrane electrode as-sembly configuration (MEA) is critical to achieving a high reaction rate while reducing cell resistance. Most studies examine the role of the cathode on product selectivity and cell stability, and compar-atively little attention has been given to the membrane impact on cell performance. This study demonstrates that membrane proper-ties such as water uptake, ion-exchange capacity, and functional groups alter the liquid product selectivity. Interestingly, we show that high ethanol crossover in conjunction with a suitable anode (Ni-FeOx) tunes the acetate selectivity. Overall, membrane properties significantly affect cell stability and product selectivity in a mem-brane electrode assembly configuration.