Water electrolysis is a representative technology for tritium enrichment in water. Proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis has received great attention to replace traditional alkaline water electrolysis which generates concentrated tritiated water containing a large amount of salts. Nafion has been widely used as a polymeric electrolyte for the PEM electrolyzer. However, its low gas barrier property causes explosion, corrosion or degradation of electrolyzer. Furthermore, the traditional polymeric electrolytes have negligible differences in conductivity between hydrogen isotopes. To enhance the tritium separation by water electrolysis, we designed a composite membrane (Nafion/ hexagonal boron nitride (hBN)). The monolayer hBN has a high proton conductivity and gas barrier property, and the hBN can enhance conductivity differences between hydrogen isotopes. We prepared Nafion/hBN composite membranes, and water electrolysis performances and proton/deuterium separation behaviors were investigated.

• Chan Woo Park(Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, 111, Daedeok-daero 989beon-gil, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon) Corresponding author
• Youngho Shin(Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, 111, Daedeok-daero 989beon-gil, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon)
• In-Ho Yoon(Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, 111, Daedeok-daero 989beon-gil, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon)