Core Insights - The research conducted by a team from the University of Science and Technology of China has innovatively utilized bipolar membranes to achieve efficient dissociation of heavy water, overturning the traditional belief that the dissociation rate of heavy water is slower than that of regular water [1][2] - The newly developed technology significantly reduces production costs for deuterated acids and bases, which are essential for synthesizing deuterated drugs and enhancing the lifespan of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) devices [1][2] Group 1 - The research clarifies the core mechanism of efficient heavy water dissociation using bipolar membranes, where deuterium ions and deuteroxide ions are generated at a rate 1.25 times faster than hydrogen ions and hydroxide ions under the same charge conditions [2] - The production process of deuterated acids and bases has been streamlined to use inexpensive inorganic salts and heavy water at room temperature, resulting in a significant reduction in production costs to one-fifth of traditional methods [2] - The technology has successfully scaled up to produce 3 tons per year of deuterated acids and bases, laying a solid foundation for industrial-scale production [2] Group 2 - The environmental impact of the new production process is minimal, as it does not require strong corrosive agents or heavy metal catalysts, leading to near-zero emissions [2] - The market potential for deuterated acids and bases is substantial, given their critical role in various chemical processes and applications, including drug synthesis and OLED technology [1]