Development of Robust, Ion-Selective Anion Exchange Membranes through Incorporation of Ionic Liquid Materials for Water Purification Via Electrodialysis

The onset of climate change and rising global population has caused greater water scarcity, a considerable problem which threatens our world. Electrodialysis (ED) is an electrically-driven separation process aimed at water treatment through ion removal, which is achieved through the selective control and transport of ionic species. ED is a popular water treatment method; however, ED is limited by membrane scaling, lack of ion selectivity, and high energy consumption for high salinity feeds. This research is focused on the synthesis of unique imidazolium-based anion exchange membranes in order to obtain enhanced selectivity for specific ions.