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. 2026 Jan 5:e14064.
doi: 10.1002/smll.202514064. Online ahead of print.

High-Performance and Cost-Effective Zwitterionic Membrane for Enhanced Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction

Wenqiong Li  1 , Xinyu Wang  1 , Zeyi Lu  1 , Jinlan Liu  1 , Xiaoguang Liang  1   2   3 , Guanbo Wang  1 , Xinzhe Zhang  1 , Huaifeng Li  4 , Vellaisamy A L Roy  3 , Yun He  1
Affiliations

High-Performance and Cost-Effective Zwitterionic Membrane for Enhanced Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction

Wenqiong Li et al. Small. .

Abstract

Membranes play a central role in determining both the efficiency and selectivity of the CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR). Progress in developing novel membranes for CO2RR has been hindered by the widespread use of off-the-shelf commercial membranes. However, there is an urgent and necessary demand to invent high-performance membranes tailored for CO2RR and investigate the mechanisms by which they enhance performance. Here, we prepared a high-performance and cost-effective zwitterionic membrane, OQHTCC-90/PVA. Compared with commercial membranes, the OQHTCC-90/PVA zwitterionic membrane exhibits high anionic conductivity owing to its strong adsorption energy toward hydroxide ions. Consequently, an H-type cell assembled with OQHTCC-90/PVA zwitterionic membrane delivers the highest Faradaic efficiency (FE) toward CO2RR products, outperforming that of commercial membranes. Notably, OQHTCC-90/PVA zwitterionic membrane displays exceptional alkaline stability, superior durability, and remarkable reusability, making it a cost-effective option for CO2RR operations. This work not only develops a high-performance zwitterionic membrane but also highlights the importance of tailored membrane design for advancing CO2RR.

Keywords: CO2 reduction reaction; durability and reusability; high ionic conductivity; high‐performance and cost‐effective; zwitterionic membranes.

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