Anion Exchange Research Articles

Unravelling the effect of molecular interactions on macroscale properties in Sustainion anion exchange membrane (AEM) under hydrated conditions using MD simulations

Sustainion is an anion exchange water electrolyser membrane that has exhibited a scalable performance. In this work, we present a molecular model for the Sustainion membrane incorporating functionalization of the polymer in order to better mimic experimental conditions. Here in, we present a comprehensive exploration of its structural and transport properties like density, diffusivity and conductivity at various operating hydration levels using molecular dynamics simulations. The density exhibits a non-monotonic trend while the diffusivity showcases a non-linear behavior with hydration. Furthermore, diffusion exhibits an Arrhenius-like dependence on temperature with the activation energies exhibiting a non-monotonic relationship akin to the density. It is concluded that the afore-mentioned properties of the Sustainion membrane are due to the counteracting influence of the enhancement in coordination number, and a reduction in the potentials of mean force of the different atomic pairs in the system. The effect of added salt on Sustainion properties is also determined and collated with experiments. Based on comparison with experiment, we deduce that vehicular diffusion is the predominant mechanism in the diffusion of the chloride ion, while it contributes approximately 15% to the diffusivity of the hydroxide ion.

Fractionation and characterisation of sialylated-mucin glycoprotein from edible birds' nest hydrolysates through anion exchange chromatography

Edible bird's nest (EBN) is made up of sialylated-mucin glycoprotein with various health benefits due to its high antioxidative activity. However, as a macromolecule with distinct charged sialic acid and amino acids, fractions with different charges would have varied physicochemical properties and antioxidant activity, which have not been studied. Therefore, this study aimed to fractionate and purify the enzymatic hydrolysed of cleaned EBN (EBNhc) and EBN by-product (EBNhbyp) through anion exchange chromatography (AEC), and determine their molecular weights, physicochemical properties, and antioxidative activities. Overall, 26 fractionates were collected from enzymatic hydrolysate by AEC, which were classified into 5 fractions. It was found that the positively charged fraction of EBNhc (CF1) and EBNhbyp (DF1) showed the significantly highest (p < 0.05) soluble protein contents (22.86 and 18.40 mg/g), total peptide contents (511.13 and 800.47 mg/g) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (17.44 and 6.96 mg/g) among the fractionates. In conclusion, a positively charged fraction (CF1 and DF 1) showed more desired physicochemical properties and antioxidative activities. This research suggests the potential of AEC fractionation as a technology to purify EBN and produce positively charged EBN fractionates with antioxidative potential that could be applied as food components to provide health benefits.

Poly (biphenyl-isatin-piperidine) anion exchange membrane with high hydroxide conductivity based on hydrophilic alkoxy spacer chains

Poly (biphenyl-isatin-piperidine) anion exchange membrane with high hydroxide conductivity based on hydrophilic alkoxy spacer chains

Reconstruction of Fe sacrifice protective layer enables highly effective CoP catalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction at high current density

Under the background of “Green hydrogen,” the method of hydrogen production through coupling water electrolysis with renewable energy has raised heightened demands for fundamental hydrogen evolution catalysts. Recently, CoP-based catalysts have attracted much attention due to their excellent HER activity. However, the self-reconfiguration behavior of CoP in actual operation seriously affects its long-term hydrogen evolution stability. Herein, an in-situ reconstructed Fe sacrificial protective layer is proposed to inhibit the complete conversion of CoP in alkaline HER process and improve the stability of CoP-based catalysts. Through this sacrificial strategy, nearly 80 % of CoP is retained, forming a new Co(OH)2/COP as the active interface of HER. As result, the catalyst can maintain hydrogen evolution at high current density for more than 10 days, and show excellent dynamic response in start-stop experiment. In an Anionic Exchange Membrane electrode cell, a fully hydrolyzed water AEM cell needs only 1.9 V to drive 1 A cm−2 current density.

Removal of empty capsids from high-dose adeno-associated virus 9 gene therapies.

Recombinant adeno-associated virus, serotype 9 (rAAV9) has shown promise as a gene therapy vector for muscle and central nervous diseases. High-dose requirements of these therapies present critical safety considerations and biomanufacturing challenges. Notably, the reduction of empty capsids (ECs), which lack therapeutic transgene, from rAAV9 products is critical to maximize efficacy. Removal of rAAV ECs from full capsids is a major downstream challenge because of their highly similar biophysical characteristics. Ultracentrifugation (UC) reduces ECs but is laborious and difficult to scale. In this paper, to replace a poorly scalable UC process, we developed an anion exchange (AEX) chromatography for rAAV9 EC reduction from full capsids. AEX load preparation by dilution incurred major product loss. The addition of histidine and surfactants to dilution buffers increased yield and reduced aggregation. Elution salts were screened and sodium acetate was found to maximize yield and EC reduction. The most promising load dilution buffer and elution salt were used in combination to form an optimized AEX method. The process reduced ECs three-fold, demonstrated robustness to a broad range of EC load challenges, and was scaled for large-scale manufacture. Compared to UC, the AEX method simplified scale-up, reduced ECs to comparable levels (20%), afforded similar purity and product quality, and increased yield by 14%.

A Processing Route to Chalcogenide Perovskites Alloys with Tunable Band Gap via Anion Exchange

AbstractThe synthesis of BaZr(S,Se)3 chalcogenide perovskite alloys is demonstrated by selenization of BaZrS3 thin films. The anion‐exchange process produces films with tunable composition and band gap without changing the orthorhombic perovskite crystal structure or the film microstructure. The direct band gap is tunable between 1.5 and 1.9 eV. The alloy films made in this way feature one‐hundred‐times stronger photoconductive response and a lower density of extended defects, compared to alloy films made by direct growth. The perovskite structure is stable in high‐selenium‐content thin films with and without epitaxy. The manufacturing‐compatible process of selenization in H2Se gas may spur the development of chalcogenide perovskite solar cell technology.

Mathematical modeling of rare earth element separation in electrodialysis with adjacent anion exchange membranes and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid as chelating agent

This research delves into the effective use of electrodialysis for the separation of rare earth elements (REEs), specifically separating dysprosium (Dy) from praseodymium (Pr) and neodymium (Nd). A robust mathematical model based on the extended Nernst-Planck equation is introduced, simulating the process within a configuration that includes two adjacent anion exchange membranes. The model integrates aspects such as feed equilibrium, ion exchange within the membrane, and overall ion flux. Validation of the model's predictability was conducted through Chi-squared tests and root mean square error (RMSE) calculations, affirming its capability to accurately predict ion concentrations across different compartments. The study examines essential parameters such as applied voltage, rinse solution concentration, and feed concentration, assessing their impacts on separation performance and energy efficiency. Results indicate that higher voltages above 8 V, while speeding up separation, detrimentally impact energy use. It also highlights a critical balance in rinse solution concentration; lower concentrations below 0.05 mol/L enhance energy efficiency but may undercut separation efficacy due to early depletion. A linear correlation between the necessary rinse concentration and feed concentration was established, with higher feed concentrations demonstrating reduced specific energy consumption, thus enhancing overall efficiency. However, challenges remain in current efficiency due to the independent migration of SO42− ions in this specific setup. The findings advocate exploring alternative configurations, like alternating cation and anion exchange membranes, to optimize both environmental and economic aspects of REE separation. This study provides valuable insights and recommendations for refining electrodialysis systems in REE processing, contributing to sustainable and cost-effective electrodialysis systems.

Atomic Engineering of 3D Self‐Supported Bifunctional Oxygen Electrodes for Rechargeable Zinc‐Air Batteries and Fuel Cell Applications

AbstractThe oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) are cornerstone half reactions involved in many renewable energy technologies. High‐density single‐atom catalysts maximize the atom utilization and isolated active sites. Furthermore, introduction of pyri‐N into the carbon‐based nanostructures as an oxygen electrocatalyst creates an abundance of active sites. Here, an innovative strategy is reported based on atomic scale dispersion of Co atoms into the pyri‐N enriched carbon nanotube encapsulated Ni nanoparticles grown on 3D electrospun carbon nanofiber nano‐assemblies. Notably, the CoSANi‐NCNT/CNF electrocatalyst exhibited excellent OER and ORR activity in terms of low overpotentials and higher half‐wave potentials. The atomically distributed Co allows the maximum exposure of active sites on the pyri‐N dominated multidimensional carbon skeleton, and synergistic effects with Ni nanoparticles greatly reduced the delocalization around the metal centers and provided an ideal environment for interactions with oxygen intermediates, thus facilitating the 4e− pathway, as evidenced by the DFT calculations. Moreover, Zn‐air batteries using a CoSANi‐NCNT/CNF air cathode exhibited a high‐power density and admirable specific capacity. This studies may provide an avenue for the rational modulation of single‐atom catalysts and cost‐effective, large‐scale synthesis of bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts for rechargeable Zn‐air batteries and anion exchange membrane fuel cell.

Microporous Electrode Binders for Anion Exchange Membrane Water Electrolyzers.

In anion exchange membrane (AEM) water electrolyzers, AEMs separate hydrogen and oxygen, but should efficiently transport hydroxide ions. In the electrodes, catalyst nanoparticles are mechanically bonded to the porous transport layer or membrane by a polymeric binder. Since these binders form a thin layer on the catalyst particles, they should not only transport hydroxide ions and water to the catalyst particles, but should also transport the nascating gases away. In the worst case, if formation of gases is >> than gas transport, a gas pocket between catalyst surface and the binder may form and hinder access to reactants (hydroxide ions, water). In this work, the ion conductive binder SEBS-DABCO is blended with PIM-1, a highly permeable polymer of intrinsic microporosity. With increasing amount of PIM-1 in the blends, the permeability for water (selected to represent small molecules) increases. Simultaneously, swelling and conductivity decrease, due to the increased hydrophobicity. Ex situ data and electrochemical data indicate that blends with 50% PIM-1 have better properties than blends with 25% or 75% PIM-1, and tests in the electrolyzer confirm an improved performance when the SEBS-DABCO binder contains 50% PIM-1.

Effectively adsorb Au(S2O3)23- using aminoguanidine as trapping group from thiosulfate solutions.

Thiosulfate gold leaching is one of the most promising green cyanide-free gold extraction processes; however, the difficulty of recovering Au(I) from the leaching system hinders its further development. This study prepared aminoguanidine-functionalized microspheres (AGMs) via a one-step reaction involving nucleophilic substitution between aminoguanidine hydrochloride and chloromethylated polystyrene microspheres and used AGMs to adsorb Au(I) from thiosulfate solutions. Scanning electron microscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to analyze the structure and properties of AGMs. Experiments were designed to investigate the effects of pH, temperature, initial Au(I), and thiosulfate concentrations on the gold adsorption performance of AGMs. Results demonstrated that AGMs can efficiently adsorb Au(I) from thiosulfate solutions in a wide pH range. The adsorption process conforms to the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm model, with a maximum capacity of 22.03kg/t. Acidic thiourea is an effective desorbent, and after four adsorption-desorption cycles, the adsorption rate of Au(I) by AGMs is 78.63%, which shows AGMs have good cyclic application potential. Based on the results of characterization, experiments, and density functional theory calculations, the mechanism for the adsorption of [Au(S2O3)2]3- on AGMs involves anion exchange. Importantly, AGMs exhibited satisfactory adsorption property for Au(I) in practical Cu2+-NH3(en)-S2O32- systems. This study provided experimental reference for the recovery of Au(I) from thiosulfate solution.

Elimination of nickel and chromium(VI) ions from industerial wastewater by electrodialysis/characteristics/impact of parameters

&lt;p&gt;Healthy water is a concern for the world due to rapid population growth and technological advancement. The entry of heavy metals into water as a result of various activities causes water pollution that has persistent effects. In this study, a specially designed electrodialysis cell was used to remove chromium (VI) and nickel ions from wastewater. The chambers were partitioned by Ionac MC 3470 cation exchange and Ionac MA 3475 anion exchange membranes. The cathode and anode were made of carbon fiber and stainless steel, respectively. The effects of voltage, initial pH, time, Na2SO4 concentration, feed flow rate and metal ion concentration on metal removal efficiency, energy consumption, current efficiency, current density and flux were investigated. Optimum values for 98.5% removal of 80 mg/L Cr(VI) ion in 90 min voltage 30 V, pH=3, addition of Na2SO4 0.5 g and feed flow rate 52. 8 ml/min, as observed. At the end of this period, concentration 1 mg/L, energy consumption 40 W/L, flow efficiency 30% and flux 12 x 10.-5 mol/m2s were calculated. Optimum values of 25 V, pH=3, addition of Na2SO4 0.2 g and Qf = 42.6 mL/min were observed for 94.3% removal of 50 mg/L Ni2+ ions in 90 min. At the end of this period, the nickel ion concentration was 4 mg/L, the energy consumption was 34 Wh/L, the flow efficiency was 96.51%, and the flux was calculated as 40×10-5 mol/m2s. This study shows that the electrodialysis method can be effectively used to elimonation chromium (VI) and nickel (II) ions from dilute wastewaters.&lt;/p&gt;

Anion Exchange Membrane with Pendulous Piperidinium on Twisted All-Carbon Backbone for Fuel Cell

As a central component for anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs), the anion exchange membrane is now facing the challenge of further improving its conductivity and alkali stability. Herein, a twisted all-carbon backbone is designed by introducing stereo-contorted units with piperidinium groups dangled at the twisted sites. The rigid and twisted backbone improves the conduction of hydroxide and brings down the squeezing effect of the backbone on piperidine rings. Accordingly, an anion exchange membrane prepared through this method exhibits adapted OH− conductivity, low swelling ratio and excellent alkali stability, even in high alkali concentrations. Further, a fuel cell assembled with a such-prepared membrane can reach a power density of 904.2 mW/cm2 and be capable of continuous operation for over 50 h. These results demonstrate that the designed membrane has good potential for applications in AEMFCs.

Surface-Displayed Mannanolytic and Chitinolytic Enzymes Using Peptidoglycan Binding LysM Domains.

Using Lactiplantibacillus plantarum as a food-grade carrier to create non-GMO whole-cell biocatalysts is gaining popularity. This work evaluates the immobilization yield of a chitosanase (CsnA, 30 kDa) from Bacillus subtilis and a mannanase (ManB, 40 kDa) from B. licheniformis on the surface of L. plantarum WCFS1 using either a single LysM domain derived from the extracellular transglycosylase Lp_3014 or a double LysM domain derived from the muropeptidase Lp_2162. ManB and CsnA were fused with the LysM domains of Lp_3014 or Lp_2162, produced in Escherichia coli and anchored to the cell surface of L. plantarum. The localization of the recombinant proteins on the bacterial cell surface was successfully confirmed by Western blot and flow cytometry analysis. The highest immobilization yields (44-48%) and activities of mannanase and chitosanase on the displaying cell surface (812 and 508 U/g of dry cell weight, respectively) were obtained when using the double LysM domain of Lp_2162 as an anchor. The presence of manno-oligosaccharides or chito-oligosaccharides in the reaction mixtures containing appropriate substrates and ManB or CsnA-displaying cells was determined by high-performance anion exchange chromatography. This study indicated that non-GMO Lactiplantibacillus chitosanase- and mannanase-displaying cells could be used to produce potentially prebiotic oligosaccharides.

A Hydrophilic Polyethylene Glycol-Blended Anion Exchange Membrane to Facilitate the Migration of Hydroxide Ions

A Hydrophilic Polyethylene Glycol-Blended Anion Exchange Membrane to Facilitate the Migration of Hydroxide Ions

Characterization and Performance Evaluation of Digital Light Processing 3D Printed Functional Anion Exchange Membranes in Electrodialysis

With the rapid development of 3D printing technologies, more attention has been focused on using 3D printing for the fabrication of membranes. This study investigated the application of digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing combined with quaternization processes to develop dense anion exchange membranes (AEMs) for electrodialysis (ED) separation of Cl− and SO42− ions. It was discovered that at optimal curing times of 40 min, the membrane pore density was significantly enhanced and the surface roughness was reduced, and this resulted in an elevation of desalination rates (97.5–98.7%) and concentration rates (165.8–174.1%) of the ED process. Furthermore, increasing the number of printed layers improved the membranes’ overall polymerization and performance, with double-layer printing showing superior ion flux. This study also highlights the impact of the polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) molecular weight on membrane efficacy, where PEGDA-700 outperformed PEGDA-400 in ion transport capabilities and desalination efficiency. Additionally, higher 4-vinylbenzyl chloride (VBC) content improved the quaternary ammonium group concentration and membrane conductivity, and hence elevated the ED performance. Under optimized conditions, DLP 3D printed membranes demonstrated exceptional selectivity of 24.0 for Cl−/SO42− and a selective purity of 81.4%. With a current density of 400 A/m2, the current efficiency and energy consumption were in the range of 82.4% to 99.7%, and 17.2 to 25.4 kW‧h‧kg−1, respectively, showcasing the potential of advanced manufacturing techniques in creating efficient and functional ion exchange membranes.

Phosphorus Defect Mediated Electron Redistribution to Boost Anion Exchange Membrane‐Based Alkaline Seawater Electrolysis

AbstractIt is of essential importance to design bifunctional electrocatalysts with excellent performance for both hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in seawater splitting. Herein, an approach for manipulating electron redistribution in NiCoP treated by P defect (Pv) engineering (NiCoPv@NF) is presented, exhibiting excellent catalytic activities and stability toward HER/OER in alkaline seawater solution. The Pv reduces the surface electrooxidation reconfiguration energy barrier, making it easier to drive the local conversion of crystals to active oxy(hydroxide) in OER. In addition, the Ni site of NiCoPv and the Co site of NiCoOOH are the active sites for HER and OER processes, respectively. In situ generated PO43− adsorbed on the catalyst surface causes spatial repulsion, preventing Cl− corrosion in seawater electrolysis. The seawater AEM electrolyzer using NiCoPv@NF couple achieves excellent performance of high activity (2.43 V at 500 mA cm−2) and long‐term durability (500 mA cm−2 over 110 h). The working efficiency of AEM in 1.0 M KOH is as high as 77.0% at 100 mA cm−2 with the price of per GGE H2 as low as $ 0.87.

Heterophase Intermetallic Compounds for Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Production at Industrial-Scale Current Densities.

Heterophase nanomaterials have sparked significant research interest in catalysis due to their distinctive properties arising from synergistic effects of different components and the formed phase boundary. However, challenges persist in the controlled synthesis of heterophase intermetallic compounds (IMCs), primarily due to the lattice mismatch of distinct crystal phases and the difficulty in achieving precise control of the phase transitions. Herein, orthorhombic/cubic Ru2Ge3/RuGe IMCs with engineered boundary architecture are synthesized and anchored on the reduced graphene oxide. The Ru2Ge3/RuGe IMCs exhibit excellent hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance with a high current density of 1000 mA cm-2 at a low overpotential of 135 mV. The presence of phase boundaries enhances charge transfer and improves the kinetics of water dissociation while optimizing the processes of hydrogen adsorption/desorption, thus boosting the HER performance. Moreover, an anion exchange membrane electrolyzer is constructed using Ru2Ge3/RuGe as the cathode electrocatalyst, which achieves a current density of 1000 mA cm-2 at a low voltage of 1.73 V, and the activity remains virtually undiminished over 500 h.

Thermal Shock Synthesis for Loading Sub-2nm Ru nanoclusters on Titanium Nitride as a Remarkable Electrocatalyst towards Hydrogen Evolution Reaction.

Heterogeneous catalysts embracing metal entities on suitable supports are profound in catalyzing various chemical reactions, and substantial synthetic endeavors in metal-support interaction modulation have been made to enhance catalytic performance. Here, it is reported the loading of sub-2nm Ru nanocrystals (NCs) on titanium nitride support (HTS-Ru-NCs/TiN) via a special Ru-Ti interaction using high temperature shock (HTS) method. Direct dechlorination of the adsorbed RuCl3, ultrafast nucleation process and short coalescence duration at ultrahigh temperatures contribute to the immobilization of Ru NCs on TiN support via producing the Ru-Ti interfacial perimeter. HTS-Ru-NCs/TiN shows remarkable activity towards hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in alkaline solution, yielding ultralow overpotentials of 16.3 and 86.6mV to achieve 10 and 100mAcm-2, respectively. The alkaline and anion exchange membrane water electrolyzers assembled using HTS-Ru-NCs/TiN yield 1.0Acm-2 at 1.65 and 1.67V, respectively, which validate its applicability in hydrogen production industry. Theoretical simulations reveal the favorable formation of Ru-O and Ti-H bond at the interfacial perimeters between Ru NCs and TiN, which accelerates the prerequisite water dissociation kinetics for the enhanced HER activity. This exemplified work motivates the design of specific interfacial perimeters via the HTS strategy to improve the performance of diverse catalysis. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

The high-throughput solid-phase extraction of cis-cyclo(L-Leu-L-Pro) and cis-cyclo(L-Phe-L-Pro) from Lactobacillus plantarum demonstrates efficacy against multidrug-resistant bacteria and influenza A (H3N2) virus

Introduction: 2,5-diketopiperazines are the simplest forms of cyclic dipeptides (CDPs) and have diverse frameworks with chiral side chains that are useful for drug development. Previous research has investigated the antimicrobial properties of proline-linked CDPs and their combinations in the culture filtrate (CF) of Lactobacillus plantarum LBP-K10 using anion exchange chromatography (AEC). However, the quantity of CDPs showcasing notable anti-influenza virus activity derived from AECs was generally lower than those originating from Lactobacillus CF.Methods: To address this issue, the study aims to propose a more efficient method for isolating CDPs and to introduce the antiviral combinations of CDPs obtained using a new method. The study employed a novel technique entailing high-throughput C18-based solid-phase extraction with a methanol gradient (MeSPE). The MeSPE method involved increasing the methanol concentration from 5% to 50% in 5% increments.Results: The methanol SPE fractions (MeSPEfs) eluted with methanol concentrations between 35% and 45% evinced substantial efficacy in inhibiting the influenza A/H3N2 virus via plaque-forming assay. MeSPEf-45, the 45% MeSPEf, exhibited exceptional efficacy in preventing viral infections in Madin-Darby kidney cells, surpassing both individual CDPs and the entire set of MeSPEfs. To identify the specific antiviral components of MeSPEf-45, all MeSPEfs were further fractionated through preparative high-performance liquid chromatography (prep-HPLC). MeSPEf-45 fractions S8 and S11 presented the highest activity against multidrug-resistant bacteria and influenza A/H3N2 virus among all MeSPEfs, with 11 common fractions. Antiviral fractions S8 and S11 were identified as proline-based CDPs, specifically cis-cyclo(L-Leu-L-Pro) and cis-cyclo(L-Phe-L-Pro), using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The combination of MeSPEf-45 fractions S8 and S11 displayed superior antibacterial and anti-influenza virus effects compared to the individual fractions S8 and S11.Discussion: High-throughput MeSPE-derived MeSPEfs and subsequent HPLC-fractionated fractions presents an innovative approach to selectively purify large amounts of potent antimicrobial CDPs from bacterial CF. The findings also show the effectiveness of physiologically bioactive combinations that utilize fractions not containing CDP. This study provides the initial evidence demonstrating the antimicrobial properties of CDPs acquired through high-throughput SPE techniques.

Efficient and durable seawater electrolysis with a V2O3-protected catalyst.

The ocean, a vast hydrogen reservoir, holds potential for sustainable energy and water development. Developing high-performance electrocatalysts for hydrogen production under harsh seawater conditions is challenging. Here, we propose incorporating a protective V2O3 layer to modulate the microcatalytic environment and create in situ dual-active sites consisting of low-loaded Pt and Ni3N. This catalyst demonstrates an ultralow overpotential of 80 mV at 500 mA cm-2, a mass activity 30.86 times higher than Pt-C and maintains at least 500 hours in seawater. Moreover, the assembled anion exchange membrane water electrolyzers (AEMWE) demonstrate superior activity and durability even under demanding industrial conditions. In situ localized pH analysis elucidates the microcatalytic environmental regulation mechanism of the V2O3 layer. Its role as a Lewis acid layer enables the sequestration of excess OH- ions, mitigate Cl- corrosion, and alkaline earth salt precipitation. Our catalyst protection strategy by using V2O3 presents a promising and cost-effective approach for large-scale sustainable green hydrogen production.