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Volta TT, Walters SN, Martin CR. Effect of Organic Cation Adsorption on Ion-Transport Selectivity in a Cation-Permselective Nanopore Membrane. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024; 40:10825-10833. [PMID: 38700247 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.4c01276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
A key knowledge gap in the emerging field of nanofluidics concerns how the ionic composition and ion-transport properties of a nanoconfined solution differ from those of a contacting bulk solution. We and others have been using potentiometric concentration cells, where a nanopore or nanotube membrane separates salt solutions of differing concentrations to explore this issue. The membranes studied contained a fixed pore/tube wall anionic charge, which ideally would prohibit anions and salt from entering the pore/tube-confined solution. We have been investigating experimental conditions that allow for this ideally permselective cation state to be achieved. Results of potentiometric investigations of a polymeric nanopore membrane (10 ± 2 nm-diameter pores) with anionic charge due to carbonate are presented here. While studies of this type have been reported using alkaline metal and alkaline earth cations, there have been no analogous studies using organic cations. This paper uses a homologous series of tetraalkylammonium ions to address this knowledge gap. The key result is that, in contrast to the inorganic cations, the ideal cation-permselective state could not be obtained under any experimental conditions for the organic cations. We propose that this is because these hydrophobic cations adsorb onto the polymeric pore walls. This makes ideality impossible because each adsorbed alkylammonium must bring a charge-balancing anion, Cl-, with it into the nanopore solution. The alkylammonium adsorption that occurred was confirmed and quantified by using surface contact angle measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas T Volta
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611-7200, United States
| | - Stevie N Walters
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611-7200, United States
| | - Charles R Martin
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611-7200, United States
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2
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Ma X, Neek-Amal M, Sun C. Advances in Two-Dimensional Ion-Selective Membranes: Bridging Nanoscale Insights to Industrial-Scale Salinity Gradient Energy Harvesting. ACS NANO 2024; 18:12610-12638. [PMID: 38733357 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c11646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
Salinity gradient energy, often referred to as the Gibbs free energy difference between saltwater and freshwater, is recognized as "blue energy" due to its inherent cleanliness, renewability, and continuous availability. Reverse electrodialysis (RED), relying on ion-selective membranes, stands as one of the most prevalent and promising methods for harnessing salinity gradient energy to generate electricity. Nevertheless, conventional RED membranes face challenges such as insufficient ion selectivity and transport rates and the difficulty of achieving the minimum commercial energy density threshold of 5 W/m2. In contrast, two-dimensional nanostructured materials, featuring nanoscale channels and abundant functional groups, offer a breakthrough by facilitating rapid ion transport and heightened selectivity. This comprehensive review delves into the mechanisms of osmotic power generation within a single nanopore and nanochannel, exploring optimal nanopore dimensions and nanochannel lengths. We subsequently examine the current landscape of power generation using two-dimensional nanostructured materials in laboratory-scale settings across various test areas. Furthermore, we address the notable decline in power density observed as test areas expand and propose essential criteria for the industrialization of two-dimensional ion-selective membranes. The review concludes with a forward-looking perspective, outlining future research directions, including scalable membrane fabrication, enhanced environmental adaptability, and integration into multiple industries. This review aims to bridge the gap between previous laboratory-scale investigations of two-dimensional ion-selective membranes in salinity gradient energy conversion and their potential large-scale industrial applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyi Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Flow in Power Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, People's Republic of China
| | - Mehdi Neek-Amal
- Department of Physics, Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University, Tehran 1678815811, Iran
- Departement Fysica, Universiteit Antwerpen, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Chengzhen Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Flow in Power Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, People's Republic of China
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3
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Tsutsui M, Hsu W, Yokota K, Leong IW, Daiguji H, Kawai T. Scalability of nanopore osmotic energy conversion. EXPLORATION (BEIJING, CHINA) 2024; 4:20220110. [PMID: 38855615 PMCID: PMC11022616 DOI: 10.1002/exp.20220110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Artificial nanofluidic networks are emerging systems for blue energy conversion that leverages surface charge-derived permselectivity to induce voltage from diffusive ion transport under salinity difference. Here the pivotal significance of electrostatic inter-channel couplings in multi-nanopore membranes, which impose constraints on porosity and subsequently influence the generation of large osmotic power outputs, is illustrated. Constructive interference is observed between two 20 nm nanopores of 30 nm spacing that renders enhanced permselectivity to osmotic power output via the recovered electroneutrality. On contrary, the interference is revealed as destructive in two-dimensional arrays causing significant deteriorations of the ion selectivity even for the nanopores sparsely distributed at an order of magnitude larger spacing than the Dukhin length. Most importantly, a scaling law is provided for deducing the maximal membrane area and porosity to avoid the selectivity loss via the inter-pore electrostatic coupling. As the electric crosstalk is inevitable in any fluidic network, the present findings can be a useful guide to design nanoporous membranes for scalable osmotic power generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makusu Tsutsui
- The Institute of Scientific and Industrial ResearchOsaka UniversityIbarakiOsakaJapan
| | - Wei‐Lun Hsu
- Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of TokyoBunkyo‐kuTokyoJapan
| | - Kazumichi Yokota
- Health and Medical Research InstituteNational Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)TakamatsuKagawaJapan
| | - Iat Wai Leong
- The Institute of Scientific and Industrial ResearchOsaka UniversityIbarakiOsakaJapan
| | - Hirofumi Daiguji
- Department of Mechanical EngineeringThe University of TokyoBunkyo‐kuTokyoJapan
| | - Tomoji Kawai
- The Institute of Scientific and Industrial ResearchOsaka UniversityIbarakiOsakaJapan
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4
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Yang J, Liu B, Zeng L, Du B, Zhou Y, Tao H, Yun Y, Zhu M. Confining Bismuth-Halide Perovskite in Mesochannels of Silica Nanomembranes for Exceptional Photocatalytic Abatement of Air Pollutants. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202319741. [PMID: 38196288 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202319741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
Spatially confined photocatalysis has emerged as a viable strategy for the intensification of various redox reactions, but the influence of confined structure on reaction behavior is always overlooked in gas-solid reactions. Herein, we report a nanomembrane with confining Cs3 Bi2 Br9 nanocrystals inside vertical channels of porous insulated silica thin sheets (CBB@SBA(⊥)) for photocatalytic nitric oxide (NO) abatement. The ordered one-dimensional (1D) pore channels with mere 70 nm channel length provide a highly accessible confined space for catalytic reactions. A record-breaking NO conversion efficiency of 98.2 % under a weight hourly space velocity (WHSV) of 3.0×106 mL g-1 h-1 , as well as exceptionally high stability over 14 h and durability over a wide humidity range (RH=15-90 %) was realized over SBA(⊥) confined Cs3 Bi2 Br9 , well beyond its nonconfined analogue and the Cs3 Bi2 Br9 confine in Santa Barbara Amorphous (SBA-15). Mechanism studies suggested that the insulated pore channels of SBA(⊥) in CBB@SBA(⊥) endow concentrated electron field and enhanced mass transfer that render high exposure of reactive species and lower reaction barrier needs for ⋅O2 - formation and NO oxidation, as well as prevents structural degradation of Cs3 Bi2 Br9 . This work expands an innovative strategy for designing efficient photocatalysts for air pollution remediation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingling Yang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 511443, P.R. China
| | - Bin Liu
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 511443, P.R. China
| | - Lixi Zeng
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 511443, P.R. China
| | - Bibai Du
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 511443, P.R. China
| | - Yingtang Zhou
- School of Petrochemical Engineering & Environment, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan, 316022, P.R. China
| | - Hengcong Tao
- School of Petrochemical Engineering & Environment, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan, 316022, P.R. China
| | - Yang Yun
- College of Environment and Resource, Research Center of Environment and Health, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, 030006, P. R. China
| | - Mingshan Zhu
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou, 511443, P.R. China
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Wang J, Song Z, He M, Qian Y, Wang D, Cui Z, Feng Y, Li S, Huang B, Kong X, Han J, Wang L. Light-responsive and ultrapermeable two-dimensional metal-organic framework membrane for efficient ionic energy harvesting. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2125. [PMID: 38459037 PMCID: PMC10923900 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46439-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Nanofluidic membranes offer exceptional promise for osmotic energy conversion, but the challenge of balancing ionic selectivity and permeability persists. Here, we present a bionic nanofluidic system based on two-dimensional (2D) copper tetra-(4-carboxyphenyl) porphyrin framework (Cu-TCPP). The inherent nanoporous structure and horizontal interlayer channels endow the Cu-TCPP membrane with ultrahigh ion permeability and allow for a power density of 16.64 W m-2, surpassing state of-the-art nanochannel membranes. Moreover, leveraging the photo-thermal property of Cu-TCPP, light-controlled ion active transport is realized even under natural sunlight. By combining solar energy with salinity gradient, the driving force for ion transport is reinforced, leading to further improvements in energy conversion performance. Notably, light could even eliminate the need for salinity gradient, achieving a power density of 0.82 W m-2 in a symmetric solution system. Our work introduces a new perspective on developing advanced membranes for solar/ionic energy conversion and extends the concept of salinity energy to a notion of ionic energy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Wang
- Research Institute of Membrane Separation Technology of Shaanxi Province, Key Laboratory of Membrane Separation of Shaanxi Province, School of Environmental & Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, No. 13 Yan Ta Road, Xi'an, 710000, China.
| | - Zeyuan Song
- Research Institute of Membrane Separation Technology of Shaanxi Province, Key Laboratory of Membrane Separation of Shaanxi Province, School of Environmental & Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, No. 13 Yan Ta Road, Xi'an, 710000, China
| | - Miaolu He
- Research Institute of Membrane Separation Technology of Shaanxi Province, Key Laboratory of Membrane Separation of Shaanxi Province, School of Environmental & Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, No. 13 Yan Ta Road, Xi'an, 710000, China
| | - Yongchao Qian
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-inspired Materials and Interfacial Science, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 29 Zhongguancun East Road, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Di Wang
- Research Institute of Membrane Separation Technology of Shaanxi Province, Key Laboratory of Membrane Separation of Shaanxi Province, School of Environmental & Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, No. 13 Yan Ta Road, Xi'an, 710000, China
| | - Zheng Cui
- Research Institute of Membrane Separation Technology of Shaanxi Province, Key Laboratory of Membrane Separation of Shaanxi Province, School of Environmental & Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, No. 13 Yan Ta Road, Xi'an, 710000, China
| | - Yuan Feng
- Research Institute of Membrane Separation Technology of Shaanxi Province, Key Laboratory of Membrane Separation of Shaanxi Province, School of Environmental & Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, No. 13 Yan Ta Road, Xi'an, 710000, China
| | - Shangzhen Li
- Research Institute of Membrane Separation Technology of Shaanxi Province, Key Laboratory of Membrane Separation of Shaanxi Province, School of Environmental & Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, No. 13 Yan Ta Road, Xi'an, 710000, China
| | - Bo Huang
- Institute of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 28, West Xianning Road, Xi'an, 710049, China
| | - Xiangyu Kong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-inspired Materials and Interfacial Science, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 29 Zhongguancun East Road, Beijing, 100190, China.
| | - Jinming Han
- Research Institute of Membrane Separation Technology of Shaanxi Province, Key Laboratory of Membrane Separation of Shaanxi Province, School of Environmental & Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, No. 13 Yan Ta Road, Xi'an, 710000, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Research Institute of Membrane Separation Technology of Shaanxi Province, Key Laboratory of Membrane Separation of Shaanxi Province, School of Environmental & Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, No. 13 Yan Ta Road, Xi'an, 710000, China.
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6
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Shoemaker BA, Khalifa O, Haji-Akbari A. Correlations in Charged Multipore Systems: Implications for Enhancing Selectivity and Permeability in Nanoporous Membranes. ACS NANO 2024; 18:1420-1431. [PMID: 38176076 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c07489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Nanoporous membranes have emerged as powerful tools for diverse applications, including gas separation and water desalination. Achieving high permeability for desired molecules alongside exceptional rejection of other species presents a significant design challenge. One potential strategy involves optimizing the chemistry and geometry of isolated nanopores to enhance permeability and selectivity while maximizing their density within a membrane. However, the impact of the pore proximity on membrane performance remains an open question. Through path sampling simulations of model graphitic membranes with multiple subnanometer pores, we reveal that nanoscale proximity between pores detrimentally affects water permeability and salt rejection. Specifically, counterion transport is decelerated, while co-ion transport is accelerated, due to direct interactions among water molecules, salt ions, and the dipoles within neighboring pores. Notably, the observed ionic transport time scales significantly deviate from established theories such as the access resistance model but are well explained using the simple phenomenological model that we develop in this work. We use this model to prescreen and optimize pore arrangements that elicit minimal correlations at a target pore density. These findings deepen our understanding of multipore systems, informing the rational design of nanoporous membranes for enhanced separation processes such as water desalination. They also shed light on the physiology of biological cells that employ ion channel proteins to modulate ion transport and reversal potentials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian A Shoemaker
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
| | - Omar Khalifa
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
| | - Amir Haji-Akbari
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
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7
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Xian W, Zhu C, Lai Z, Zuo X, Meng QW, Zheng L, Wang S, Dai Z, Chen F, Ma S, Sun Q. Enhancing Sustainable Energy Conversion Efficiency by Incorporating Photoelectric Responsiveness into Multiporous Ionic Membrane. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024:e2310791. [PMID: 38214692 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202310791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
The evolution of porous membranes has revitalized their potential application in sustainable osmotic-energy conversion. However, the performance of multiporous membranes deviates significantly from the linear extrapolation of single-pore membranes, primarily due to the occurrence of ion-concentration polarization (ICP). This study proposes a robust strategy to overcome this challenge by incorporating photoelectric responsiveness into permselective membranes. By introducing light-induced electric fields within the membrane, the transport of ions is accelerated, leading to a reduction in the diffusion boundary layer and effectively mitigating the detrimental effects of ICP. The developed photoelectric-responsive covalent-organic-framework membranes exhibit an impressive output power density of 69.6 W m-2 under illumination, surpassing the commercial viability threshold by ≈14-fold. This research uncovers a previously unexplored benefit of integrating optical electric conversion with reverse electrodialysis, thereby enhancing energy conversion efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weipeng Xian
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Chemical Engineering Manufacture Technology, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Changjia Zhu
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Texas, 1508 W Mulberry, St Denton, TX, 76201, USA
| | - Zhuozhi Lai
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Chemical Engineering Manufacture Technology, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Xiuhui Zuo
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Chemical Engineering Manufacture Technology, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Qing-Wei Meng
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Chemical Engineering Manufacture Technology, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Liping Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Surface & Interface Science of Polymer Materials of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, 310028, China
| | - Sai Wang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Chemical Engineering Manufacture Technology, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Zhifeng Dai
- Key Laboratory of Surface & Interface Science of Polymer Materials of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, 310028, China
| | - Fang Chen
- Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310028, China
| | - Shengqian Ma
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Texas, 1508 W Mulberry, St Denton, TX, 76201, USA
| | - Qi Sun
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Chemical Engineering Manufacture Technology, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
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8
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Wang C, Seo E, Park J. Surface-dominant micro/nanofluidics for efficient green energy conversion. BIOMICROFLUIDICS 2024; 18:011503. [PMID: 38370510 PMCID: PMC10869172 DOI: 10.1063/5.0190934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Green energy conversion in aqueous systems has attracted considerable interest owing to the sustainable clean energy demand resulting from population and economic growth and urbanization, as well as the significant potential energy from water resources and other regenerative sources coupled with fluids. In particular, molecular motion based on intrinsic micro/nanofluidic phenomena at the liquid-solid interface (LSI) is crucial for efficient and sustainable green energy conversion. The electrical double layer is the main factor affecting transport, interaction between molecules and surfaces, non-uniform ion distribution, synthesis, stimulated reactions, and motion by external renewable resources in both closed nanoconfinement and open surfaces. In this review, we summarize the state-of-the-art progress in physical and chemical reaction-based green energy conversion in LSI, including nanoscale fabrication, key mechanisms, applications, and limitations for practical implementation. The prospects for resolving critical challenges in this field and inspiring other promising research areas in the infancy stage (studying chemical and biological dynamics at the single-molecule level and nanofluidic neuromorphic computing) are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cong Wang
- School of Mechanical Engineering and Electronic Information, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), 388 Lumo Road, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Eunseok Seo
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sogang University, 35 Baekbeom-ro (Sinsu-dong), Mapo-gu, Seoul 04107, Republic of Korea
| | - Jungyul Park
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sogang University, 35 Baekbeom-ro (Sinsu-dong), Mapo-gu, Seoul 04107, Republic of Korea
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9
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Zhang Y, Wang H, Wang J, Li L, Sun H, Wang C. Asymmetric Nanoporous Alumina Membranes for Nanofluidic Osmotic Energy Conversion. Chem Asian J 2023; 18:e202300876. [PMID: 37886875 DOI: 10.1002/asia.202300876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
The potential of harnessing osmotic energy from the interaction between seawater and river water has been recognized as a promising, eco-friendly, renewable, and sustainable source of power. The reverse electrodialysis (RED) technology has gained significant interest for its ability to generate electricity by combining concentrated and diluted streams with different levels of salinity. Nanofluidic membranes with tailored ion transport dynamics enable efficient harvesting of renewable osmotic energy. In this regard, anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes with abundant nanochannels provide a cost-effective nanofluidic platform to obtain structures with a high density of ordered pores. AAO can be utilized in constructing asymmetric composite membranes with enhanced ion flux and selectivity to improve output power generation. In this review, we first present the fundamental structure and properties of AAO, followed by summarizing the fabrication techniques for asymmetric membranes using AAO and other nanostructured materials. Subsequently, we discuss the materials employed in constructing asymmetric structures incorporating AAO while emphasizing how material selection and design can resist and promote efficient energy conversion. Finally, we provide an outlook on future applications and address the challenges that need to be overcome for successful osmotic energy conversion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Zhang
- College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Huijie Wang
- College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Jin Wang
- College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Lulu Li
- College of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, 212000, P.R. China
| | - Hanjun Sun
- College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Chen Wang
- College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, China
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10
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Jiang Y, Hu R, Yang C, Zhou Z, Yuan G, Zhou H, Hu S. Surface diffusion enhanced ion transport through two-dimensional nanochannels. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadi8493. [PMID: 37922345 PMCID: PMC10624347 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adi8493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/05/2023]
Abstract
Fast ion permeation in nanofluidic channels has been intensively investigated in the past few decades because of their potential uses in separation technologies and osmotic energy harvesting. Mechanisms governing ion transport at this ultimately small spatial regime remain to be understood, which can only be achieved in nanochannels that are controllably fabricated. Here, we report the fabrication of two-dimensional nanochannels with their top and bottom walls consisting of atomically flat graphite and mica crystals, respectively. The distinct wall structures and properties enable us to investigate interactions between ions and interior surfaces. We find an enhanced ion transport within the channels that is orders of magnitude faster than that in the bulk solutions. The result is attributed to the highly dense packing of adsorbed cations at mica surfaces, where they diffuse in-plane. Our work provides insights into surface effects on ion transport at the nanoscale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (iChEM), College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Rong Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (iChEM), College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Chongyang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (iChEM), College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Zhihua Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (iChEM), College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Gang Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (iChEM), College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Han Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (iChEM), College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
| | - Sheng Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (iChEM), College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
- Innovation Laboratory for Sciences and Technologies of Energy Materials of Fujian Province (IKKEM), Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
- Pen-Tung Sah Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, P. R. China
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11
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Lin CY, Chang SF, Kuo KT, Garner S, Pollard SC, Chen SH, Hsu JP. Essence of the Giant Reduction of Power Density in Osmotic Energy Conversion in Porous Membranes: Importance of Testing Area. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:43094-43101. [PMID: 37650485 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c05831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Harvesting osmotic energy through nanofluidic devices with diverse materials has received considerable attention in recent years. Often, a small testing area on a membrane was chosen to assess its power performance by calculating power density as output power per effective area. Since the choice of this testing area is arbitrary, and it is usually quite small, the result obtained can be too optimistic. There is a need to come up with a common standard so that the performance of a device/membrane can be assessed reasonably. In this study, we systematically investigate the power density as a function of testing area in nanoporous anodic-aluminum-oxide membranes. Through changing the aperture size of substrates, we clearly show that the obtained power density decreases drastically with increasing testing area. For instance, the power density acquired from the testing area of μm2-scale can be five orders of magnitude larger than that from the pristine membrane of cm2-scale. We also advance simulations by building a 3D model to simulate osmotic-driven ion transport in the multichannel system. The result of modeling agrees with our experimental observation that the power density decreases with increasing number of channels, and the ionic concentration profile reveals that the concentration polarization becomes serious as the number of channels increases. Our result highlights the importance of effective area on testing the power performance in nanofluidic devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Yuan Lin
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Shao-Fu Chang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan
| | - Kuan-Ting Kuo
- Corning Research and Development Corporation, One River Front Plaza, Corning, New York, 14831, United States
| | - Sean Garner
- Corning Research and Development Corporation, One River Front Plaza, Corning, New York, 14831, United States
| | - Scott C Pollard
- Corning Research and Development Corporation, One River Front Plaza, Corning, New York, 14831, United States
| | - Shih-Hsun Chen
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan
| | - Jyh-Ping Hsu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
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12
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Zhang F, Yu J, Si Y, Ding B. Meta-Aerogel Ion Motor for Nanofluid Osmotic Energy Harvesting. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2302511. [PMID: 37295070 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202302511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Osmotic power, also known as "blue energy", is a vast, sustainable, and clean energy source that can be directly converted into electricity by nanofluidic membranes. However, the key technological bottleneck for large-scale osmotic electricity is that macroscopic-scale bulky membrane cannot synergistically satisfy the demands of high power density and low resistance without sacrificing scalability and mechanical robustness. Here, inspired by the anatomy and working principle of electric eels, which harness osmotic energy through embedded neuron-mediated fibril nanochannels with nanoconfined transport dynamics. Fibrous nanofluidic meta-aerogel ion motors, 3D-assembled from nanofluidic cable fibers with actuatable stimulation/transport "ion highways" are engineered. The meta-aerogel exhibits the integrated coupling effect of boosted ion propulsion and surface-charge-dominated selective ion transport. Driven by osmosis, the meta-aerogel ion motor can produce an unprecedented output power density of up to 30.7 W m-2 under a 50-fold salinity gradient. Advancing ultra-selective ion transport in nanofluidic meta-aerogels may provide a promising roadmap for blue energy harvesting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Textiles, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China
| | - Jianyong Yu
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Textiles, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China
- Innovation Center for Textile Science and Technology, Donghua University, Shanghai, 200051, China
| | - Yang Si
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Textiles, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China
- Innovation Center for Textile Science and Technology, Donghua University, Shanghai, 200051, China
| | - Bin Ding
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Textiles, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China
- Innovation Center for Textile Science and Technology, Donghua University, Shanghai, 200051, China
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13
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Zhang X, Li M, Zhang F, Li Q, Xiao J, Lin Q, Qing G. Robust Cellulose Nanocrystal-Based Self-Assembled Composite Membranes Doped with Polyvinyl Alcohol and Graphene Oxide for Osmotic Energy Harvesting. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023:e2304603. [PMID: 37635120 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202304603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
Osmotic energy from the salinity gradients represents a promising energy resource with stable and sustainable characteristics. Nanofluidic membranes can be considered as powerful alternatives to the traditional low-performance ion exchange membrane to achieve high-efficiency osmotic energy harvesting. However, the development of a highly efficient and easily scalable core membrane component from low-cost raw materials remains challenging. Here, a composite membrane based on the self-assembly of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and graphene oxide (GO) nanoflakes as additives is developed to provide a solution. The introduction of soft PVA polymer significantly improves the mechanical strength and water stability of the composite membrane by forming a nacre-like structure. Benefiting from the abundant negative charges of CNC nanorods and GO nanoflakes and the generated network nanochannels, the composite membrane demonstrates a good cation-selective transport capacity, thus contributing to an optimal osmotic energy conversion of 6.5 W m-2 under a 100-fold salinity gradient and an exemplary stability throughout 25 consecutive days of operation. This work provides an option for the development of nanofluidic membranes that can be easily produced on a large scale from well-resourced and sustainable biomass materials for high-efficiency osmotic energy conversion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Zhang
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan, 430200, P. R. China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, P. R. China
| | - Minmin Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, P. R. China
| | - Fusheng Zhang
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan, 430200, P. R. China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, P. R. China
| | - Qiongya Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, P. R. China
| | - Jie Xiao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, P. R. China
| | - Qiwen Lin
- School of Chemistry, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, P. R. China
| | - Guangyan Qing
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Wuhan Textile University, Wuhan, 430200, P. R. China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Separation Science for Analytical Chemistry, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, P. R. China
- Hubei Jiangxia Laboratory, Wuhan, 430200, P. R. China
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14
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Zhang Y, Riexinger J, Yang X, Mikhailova E, Jin Y, Zhou L, Bayley H. A microscale soft ionic power source modulates neuronal network activity. Nature 2023; 620:1001-1006. [PMID: 37648756 PMCID: PMC10468398 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06295-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Bio-integrated devices need power sources to operate1,2. Despite widely used technologies that can provide power to large-scale targets, such as wired energy supplies from batteries or wireless energy transduction3, a need to efficiently stimulate cells and tissues on the microscale is still pressing. The ideal miniaturized power source should be biocompatible, mechanically flexible and able to generate an ionic current for biological stimulation, instead of using electron flow as in conventional electronic devices4-6. One approach is to use soft power sources inspired by the electrical eel7,8; however, power sources that combine the required capabilities have not yet been produced, because it is challenging to obtain miniaturized units that both conserve contained energy before usage and are easily triggered to produce an energy output. Here we develop a miniaturized soft power source by depositing lipid-supported networks of nanolitre hydrogel droplets that use internal ion gradients to generate energy. Compared to the original eel-inspired design7, our approach can shrink the volume of a power unit by more than 105-fold and it can store energy for longer than 24 h, enabling operation on-demand with a 680-fold greater power density of about 1,300 W m-3. Our droplet device can serve as a biocompatible and biological ionic current source to modulate neuronal network activity in three-dimensional neural microtissues and in ex vivo mouse brain slices. Ultimately, our soft microscale ionotronic device might be integrated into living organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujia Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | | | - Xingyun Yang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Yongcheng Jin
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Linna Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - Hagan Bayley
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
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15
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Yu J, Wang ZL, Ma T. Tuning Surface Molecular Design of Porous Carbon for Blue Energy Harvesting. RESEARCH (WASHINGTON, D.C.) 2023; 6:0173. [PMID: 37342630 PMCID: PMC10278960 DOI: 10.34133/research.0173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
Capacitive mixing is a promising blue energy technology due to its membrane-free electricity generation and long electrode life cycle. However, because of limited performance, existing systems do not lend themselves to practical implementation. Although it is a crucial factor directly influencing electrode behavior, surface chemistry has largely been overlooked in capacitive mixing. Here, we show that manipulating surface functionalization alone can tune the responses of electrodes to produce a high voltage rise without altering the pore structure of the electrodes. Our findings reveal that the spontaneous electrode potential of a surface-modified carbon electrode shifts negatively proportional to the surface charge due to the surface groups, which explains why and how manipulating the surface chemistry can improve the power generation capacity. Using electrodes fabricated with identical activated carbon material but with different surface treatments, we have achieved a remarkably high power density of 166 mW/m2 delivered to an electrical load under a 0.6 M to 0.01 M salinity gradient, with the total power generated of 225 mW/m2. The corresponding volumetric power densities were 0.88 kW/m3 net and 1.17 kW/m3 total. The volumetric power density of our prototype is comparable to or better than those of prevailing membrane technologies, such as pressure retarded osmosis and reverse electrolysis, whose volumetric power density values are 1.1 kW/m3 and 0.16 kW/m3, respectively. In the seawater stage, the net power density reached 432 mW/m2 or 2.3 kW/m3. Such performance far exceeds existing membrane-free systems, with the highest reported power density of 65 mW/m2 under a 0.5 M to 0.02 M salinity gradient (121 mW/m2 in this work). The device demonstrated unparalleled durability, maintaining 90% of the maximum energy capacity after 54,000 charge-discharge cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Yu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering,
University of Hawaii at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA
| | - Zhong-Lin Wang
- Beijing Institute of Nanoenergy and Nanosystems,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101400, China
| | - Tianwei Ma
- College of Engineering, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, TX 78412, USA
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16
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Yi H, Almatrafi E, Ma D, Huo X, Qin L, Li L, Zhou X, Zhou C, Zeng G, Lai C. Spatial confinement: A green pathway to promote the oxidation processes for organic pollutants removal from water. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 233:119719. [PMID: 36801583 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.119719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 11/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Organic pollutants removal from water is pressing owing to the great demand for clean water. Oxidation processes (OPs) are the commonly used method. However, the efficiency of most OPs is limited owing to the poor mass transfer process. Spatial confinement is a burgeoning way to solve this limitation by use of nanoreactor. Spatial confinement in OPs would (i) alter the transport characteristics of protons and charges; (ii) bring about molecular orientation and rearrangement; (iii) cause the dynamic redistribution of active sites in catalyst and reduce the entropic barrier that is high in unconfined space. So far, spatial confinement has been utilized for various OPs, such as Fenton, persulfate, and photocatalytic oxidation. A comprehensive summary and discussion on the fundamental mechanisms of spatial confinement mediated OPs is needed. Herein, the application, performance and mechanisms of spatial confinement mediated OPs are overviewed firstly. Subsequently, the features of spatial confinement and their effects on OPs are discussed in detail. Furthermore, environmental influences (including environmental pH, organic matter and inorganic ions) are studied with analyzing their intrinsic connection with the features of spatial confinement in OPs. Lastly, challenges and future development direction of spatial confinement mediated OPs are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Yi
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, 410082, P.R. China; Center of Research Excellence in Renewable Energy and Power Systems, Center of Excellence in Desalination Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering-Rabigh, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Eydhah Almatrafi
- Center of Research Excellence in Renewable Energy and Power Systems, Center of Excellence in Desalination Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering-Rabigh, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Dengsheng Ma
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, 410082, P.R. China
| | - Xiuqing Huo
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, 410082, P.R. China
| | - Lei Qin
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, 410082, P.R. China
| | - Ling Li
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, 410082, P.R. China
| | - Xuerong Zhou
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, 410082, P.R. China
| | - Chengyun Zhou
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, 410082, P.R. China; Center of Research Excellence in Renewable Energy and Power Systems, Center of Excellence in Desalination Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering-Rabigh, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Guangming Zeng
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, 410082, P.R. China; Center of Research Excellence in Renewable Energy and Power Systems, Center of Excellence in Desalination Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering-Rabigh, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Cui Lai
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University and Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha, 410082, P.R. China; Center of Research Excellence in Renewable Energy and Power Systems, Center of Excellence in Desalination Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering-Rabigh, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia.
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17
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Aluru NR, Aydin F, Bazant MZ, Blankschtein D, Brozena AH, de Souza JP, Elimelech M, Faucher S, Fourkas JT, Koman VB, Kuehne M, Kulik HJ, Li HK, Li Y, Li Z, Majumdar A, Martis J, Misra RP, Noy A, Pham TA, Qu H, Rayabharam A, Reed MA, Ritt CL, Schwegler E, Siwy Z, Strano MS, Wang Y, Yao YC, Zhan C, Zhang Z. Fluids and Electrolytes under Confinement in Single-Digit Nanopores. Chem Rev 2023; 123:2737-2831. [PMID: 36898130 PMCID: PMC10037271 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.2c00155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2023]
Abstract
Confined fluids and electrolyte solutions in nanopores exhibit rich and surprising physics and chemistry that impact the mass transport and energy efficiency in many important natural systems and industrial applications. Existing theories often fail to predict the exotic effects observed in the narrowest of such pores, called single-digit nanopores (SDNs), which have diameters or conduit widths of less than 10 nm, and have only recently become accessible for experimental measurements. What SDNs reveal has been surprising, including a rapidly increasing number of examples such as extraordinarily fast water transport, distorted fluid-phase boundaries, strong ion-correlation and quantum effects, and dielectric anomalies that are not observed in larger pores. Exploiting these effects presents myriad opportunities in both basic and applied research that stand to impact a host of new technologies at the water-energy nexus, from new membranes for precise separations and water purification to new gas permeable materials for water electrolyzers and energy-storage devices. SDNs also present unique opportunities to achieve ultrasensitive and selective chemical sensing at the single-ion and single-molecule limit. In this review article, we summarize the progress on nanofluidics of SDNs, with a focus on the confinement effects that arise in these extremely narrow nanopores. The recent development of precision model systems, transformative experimental tools, and multiscale theories that have played enabling roles in advancing this frontier are reviewed. We also identify new knowledge gaps in our understanding of nanofluidic transport and provide an outlook for the future challenges and opportunities at this rapidly advancing frontier.
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Affiliation(s)
- Narayana R Aluru
- Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences, Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, 78712TexasUnited States
| | - Fikret Aydin
- Materials Science Division, Physical and Life Science Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California94550, United States
| | - Martin Z Bazant
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts02139, United States
- Department of Mathematics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts02139, United States
| | - Daniel Blankschtein
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts02139, United States
| | - Alexandra H Brozena
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland20742, United States
| | - J Pedro de Souza
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts02139, United States
| | - Menachem Elimelech
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut06520-8286, United States
| | - Samuel Faucher
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts02139, United States
| | - John T Fourkas
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland20742, United States
- Institute for Physical Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland20742, United States
- Maryland NanoCenter, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland20742, United States
| | - Volodymyr B Koman
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts02139, United States
| | - Matthias Kuehne
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts02139, United States
| | - Heather J Kulik
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts02139, United States
| | - Hao-Kun Li
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California94305, United States
| | - Yuhao Li
- Materials Science Division, Physical and Life Science Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California94550, United States
| | - Zhongwu Li
- Materials Science Division, Physical and Life Science Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California94550, United States
| | - Arun Majumdar
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California94305, United States
| | - Joel Martis
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California94305, United States
| | - Rahul Prasanna Misra
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts02139, United States
| | - Aleksandr Noy
- Materials Science Division, Physical and Life Science Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California94550, United States
- School of Natural Sciences, University of California Merced, Merced, California95344, United States
| | - Tuan Anh Pham
- Materials Science Division, Physical and Life Science Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California94550, United States
| | - Haoran Qu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland20742, United States
| | - Archith Rayabharam
- Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences, Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, 78712TexasUnited States
| | - Mark A Reed
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Yale University, 15 Prospect Street, New Haven, Connecticut06520, United States
| | - Cody L Ritt
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut06520-8286, United States
| | - Eric Schwegler
- Materials Science Division, Physical and Life Science Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California94550, United States
| | - Zuzanna Siwy
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Department of Chemistry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine92697, United States
| | - Michael S Strano
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts02139, United States
| | - YuHuang Wang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland20742, United States
- Maryland NanoCenter, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland20742, United States
| | - Yun-Chiao Yao
- Materials Science Division, Physical and Life Science Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California94550, United States
- School of Natural Sciences, University of California Merced, Merced, California95344, United States
| | - Cheng Zhan
- Materials Science Division, Physical and Life Science Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California94550, United States
| | - Ze Zhang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California94305, United States
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18
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Siwy ZS, Bruening ML, Howorka S. Nanopores: synergy from DNA sequencing to industrial filtration - small holes with big impact. Chem Soc Rev 2023; 52:1983-1994. [PMID: 36794856 DOI: 10.1039/d2cs00894g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Nanopores in thin membranes play important roles in science and industry. Single nanopores have provided a step-change in portable DNA sequencing and understanding nanoscale transport while multipore membranes facilitate food processing and purification of water and medicine. Despite the unifying use of nanopores, the fields of single nanopores and multipore membranes differ - to varying degrees - in terms of materials, fabrication, analysis, and applications. Such a partial disconnect hinders scientific progress as important challenges are best resolved together. This Viewpoint suggests how synergistic crosstalk between the two fields can provide considerable mutual benefits in fundamental understanding and the development of advanced membranes. We first describe the main differences including the atomistic definition of single pores compared to the less defined conduits in multipore membranes. We then outline steps to improve communication between the two fields such as harmonizing measurements and modelling of transport and selectivity. The resulting insight is expected to improve the rational design of porous membranes. The Viewpoint concludes with an outlook of other developments that can be best achieved by collaboration across the two fields to advance the understanding of transport in nanopores and create next-generation porous membranes tailored for sensing, filtration, and other applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuzanna S Siwy
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, USA.
| | - Merlin L Bruening
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame, USA.
| | - Stefan Howorka
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Structural Molecular Biology, University College London, UK.
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19
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Cheng B, Zhong Y, Qiu Y, Vaikuntanathan S, Park J. Giant Gateable Osmotic Power Generation from a Goldilocks Two-Dimensional Polymer. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:5261-5269. [PMID: 36848619 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c12853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/01/2023]
Abstract
Generating electricity from a salinity gradient, known as osmotic power, provides a sustainable energy source, but it requires precise nanoscale control of membranes for maximum performance. Here, we report an ultrathin membrane, where molecule-specific short-range interactions enable giant gateable osmotic power with a record high power density (2 kW/m2 for 1 M∥1 mM KCl). Our membranes are charge-neutral two-dimensional polymers synthesized from molecular building blocks and operate in a Goldilocks regime that simultaneously maintains high ionic conductivity and permselectivity. Molecular dynamics simulations quantitatively confirm that the functionalized nanopores are small enough for high selectivity through short-range ion-membrane interactions and large enough for fast cross-membrane transport. The short-range mechanism further enables reversible gateable operation, as demonstrated by polarity switching of osmotic power with additional gating ions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baorui Cheng
- Department of Chemistry, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Yu Zhong
- Department of Chemistry, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Yuqing Qiu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Suriyanarayanan Vaikuntanathan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States.,James Franck Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Jiwoong Park
- Department of Chemistry, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States.,James Franck Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States.,Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
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20
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Zhou S, Xie L, Zhang X, Yan M, Zeng H, Liang K, Jiang L, Kong B. Super-Assembled Multi-Level Asymmetric Mesochannels for Coupled Accelerated Dual-Ion Selective Transport. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2208903. [PMID: 36434817 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202208903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Asymmetric nanofluidic devices hold great potential in energy conversion applications. However, most of the existing asymmetric nanofluidic devices remain a single-level asymmetric structure and a single-ion selective layer, which results in weak ion selectivity and limited energy conversion efficiency. Herein, a multi-level asymmetric mesoporous carbon/anodized aluminum/mesoporous silica (MC/AAO/MS) nanofluidic device with abundant and ordered mesochannels is constructed from super-assembly strategy. The resultant MC/AAO/MS exhibits diode-like ion transport and outstanding ion storage-release performance. Importantly, MC/AAO/MS couples the MC and MS dual-ion selective layers, which ensures a high ionic conductance and evidently enhances the cation selectivity. Thereby, the MC/AAO/MS demonstrates ascendant salinity gradient energy conversion performance. The power density and conversion efficiency can reach up to 5.37 W m-2 and 32.79%, respectively. Noteworthy, a good energy conversion performance of 63 mW m-2 can still be achieved upon high working area, outperforming 300% of the performance of MC/AAO and MS/AAO single-level asymmetric nanochannels. Theoretical calculation further verifies that the multi-level asymmetric structure and dual-ion selective transport are the reason for the enhanced cation selectivity and energy conversion efficiency. This work opens a new avenue for constructing multi-level asymmetric structured nanofluidic devices for various applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Zhou
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (iChEM), Department of Chemistry, Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Catalysis and Innovative Materials, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, P. R. China
| | - Lei Xie
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (iChEM), Department of Chemistry, Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Catalysis and Innovative Materials, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, P. R. China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (iChEM), Department of Chemistry, Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Catalysis and Innovative Materials, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, P. R. China
| | - Miao Yan
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (iChEM), Department of Chemistry, Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Catalysis and Innovative Materials, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, P. R. China
| | - Hui Zeng
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (iChEM), Department of Chemistry, Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Catalysis and Innovative Materials, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, P. R. China
| | - Kang Liang
- School of Chemical Engineering and Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
| | - Lei Jiang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-Inspired Materials and Interfacial Science, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, P. R. China
| | - Biao Kong
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials (iChEM), Department of Chemistry, Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Catalysis and Innovative Materials, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, P. R. China
- Yiwu Research Institute, Fudan University, Yiwu, Zhejiang, 322000, P. R. China
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21
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Wang J, Zhou H, Li S, Wang L. Selective Ion Transport in Two-Dimensional Lamellar Nanochannel Membranes. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202218321. [PMID: 36718075 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202218321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Precise and ultrafast ion sieving is highly desirable for many applications in environment-, energy-, and resource-related fields. The development of a permselective lamellar membrane constructed from parallel stacked two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets opened a new avenue for the development of next-generation separation technology because of the unprecedented diversity of the designable interior nanochannels. In this Review, we first discuss the construction of homo- and heterolaminar nanoarchitectures from the starting materials to the emerging preparation strategies. We then explore the property-performance relationships, with a particular emphasis on the effects of physical structural features, chemical properties, and external environment stimuli on ion transport behavior under nanoconfinement. We also present existing and potential applications of 2D membranes in desalination, ion recovery, and energy conversion. Finally, we discuss the challenges and outline research directions in this promising field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Wang
- Key Laboratory of Membrane Separation of Shaanxi Province,Research Institute of Membrane Separation Technology of Shaanxi Province, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710000, China
| | - Huijiao Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Membrane Separation of Shaanxi Province,Research Institute of Membrane Separation Technology of Shaanxi Province, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710000, China
| | - Shangzhen Li
- Key Laboratory of Membrane Separation of Shaanxi Province,Research Institute of Membrane Separation Technology of Shaanxi Province, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710000, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Membrane Separation of Shaanxi Province,Research Institute of Membrane Separation Technology of Shaanxi Province, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi'an, 710000, China
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22
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Rahman MM. Membranes for Osmotic Power Generation by Reverse Electrodialysis. MEMBRANES 2023; 13:164. [PMID: 36837667 PMCID: PMC9963266 DOI: 10.3390/membranes13020164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, the utilization of the selective ion transport through porous membranes for osmotic power generation (blue energy) has received a lot of attention. The principal of power generation using the porous membranes is same as that of conventional reverse electrodialysis (RED), but nonporous ion exchange membranes are conventionally used for RED. The ion transport mechanisms through the porous and nonporous membranes are considerably different. Unlike the conventional nonporous membranes, the ion transport through the porous membranes is largely dictated by the principles of nanofluidics. This owes to the fact that the osmotic power generation via selective ion transport through porous membranes is often referred to as nanofluidic reverse electrodialysis (NRED) or nanopore-based power generation (NPG). While RED using nonporous membranes has already been implemented on a pilot-plant scale, the progress of NRED/NPG has so far been limited in the development of small-scale, novel, porous membrane materials. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the membrane design concepts of nanofluidic porous membranes for NPG/NRED. A brief description of material design concepts of conventional nonporous membranes for RED is provided as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Mushfequr Rahman
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Institute of Membrane Research, Max-Planck-Straße 1, 21502 Geesthacht, Germany
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23
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Yadav SK, D M, Singh C, Kumar M, G A, Ramaprabhu S, Nandigana VVR, Nayak PK. Laser-Assisted Scalable Pore Fabrication in Graphene Membranes for Blue-Energy Generation. Chemphyschem 2022; 24:e202200598. [PMID: 36510477 DOI: 10.1002/cphc.202200598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The osmotic energy from a salinity gradient (i. e. blue energy) is identified as a promising non-intermittent renewable energy source for a sustainable technology. However, this membrane-based technology is facing major limitations for large-scale viability, primarily due to the poor membrane performance. An atomically thin 2D nanoporous material with high surface charge density resolves the bottleneck and leads to a new class of membrane material the salinity gradient energy. Although 2D nanoporous membranes show extremely high performance in terms of energy generation through the single pore, the fabrication and technical challenges such as ion concentration polarization make the nanoporous membrane a non-viable solution. On the other hand, the mesoporous and micro porous structures in the 2D membrane result in improved energy generation with very low fabrication complexity. In the present work, we report femtosecond (fs) laser-assisted scalable fabrication of μm to mm size pores on Graphene membrane for blue energy generation for the first time. A remarkable osmotic power in the order of μW has been achieved using mm size pores, which is about six orders of magnitudes higher compared to nanoporous membranes, which is mainly due to the diffusion-osmosis driven large ionic flux. Our work paves the way towards fs laser-assisted scalable pore creation in the 2D membrane for large-scale osmotic power generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharad Kumar Yadav
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600036, India.,Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600 036, India.,Micro Nano and Bio-Fluidics Group, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600036, India
| | - Manikandan D
- Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600 036, India
| | - Chob Singh
- Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600 036, India
| | - Mukesh Kumar
- Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600 036, India
| | - Aswathy G
- Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600 036, India
| | - Sundara Ramaprabhu
- Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600 036, India.,Alternative Energy and Nanotechnology Laboratory (AENL), Nano Functional Materials Technology Centre (NFMTC), Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, India
| | - Vishal V R Nandigana
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600036, India
| | - Pramoda K Nayak
- Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600 036, India.,Micro Nano and Bio-Fluidics Group, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600036, India.,2D Materials Research and Innovation Group, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600036, India.,Centre for Nano and Material Sciences, Jain (Deemed-to-be University), Jain Global Campus, Kanakapura, Bangalore, 562112, India
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24
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Chen XC, Zhang H, Liu SH, Zhou Y, Jiang L. Engineering Polymeric Nanofluidic Membranes for Efficient Ionic Transport: Biomimetic Design, Material Construction, and Advanced Functionalities. ACS NANO 2022; 16:17613-17640. [PMID: 36322865 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c07641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Design elements extracted from biological ion channels guide the engineering of artificial nanofluidic membranes for efficient ionic transport and spawn biomimetic devices with great potential in many cutting-edge areas. In this context, polymeric nanofluidic membranes can be especially attractive because of their inherent flexibility and benign processability, which facilitate massive fabrication and facile device integration for large-scale applications. Herein, the state-of-the-art achievements of polymeric nanofluidic membranes are systematically summarized. Theoretical fundamentals underlying both biological and synthetic ion channels are introduced. The advances of engineering polymeric nanofluidic membranes are then detailed from aspects of structural design, material construction, and chemical functionalization, emphasizing their broad chemical and reticular/topological variety as well as considerable property tunability. After that, this Review expands on examples of evolving these polymeric membranes into macroscopic devices and their potentials in addressing compelling issues in energy conversion and storage systems where efficient ion transport is highly desirable. Finally, a brief outlook on possible future developments in this field is provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia-Chao Chen
- School of Materials Science & Engineering, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou310018, P. R. China
| | - Hao Zhang
- School of Materials Science & Engineering, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou310018, P. R. China
| | - Sheng-Hua Liu
- School of Materials Science & Engineering, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou310018, P. R. China
| | - Yahong Zhou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-inspired Materials and Interfacial Science, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100190, P. R. China
| | - Lei Jiang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-inspired Materials and Interfacial Science, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100190, P. R. China
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25
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Yadav SK, Manikandan D, Singh C, Kumar M, Nandigana VVR, Nayak PK. Electrodiffusioosmosis induced negative differential resistance in micro-to-millimeter size pores through a graphene/copper membrane. NANOSCALE ADVANCES 2022; 4:5123-5131. [PMID: 36504743 PMCID: PMC9680926 DOI: 10.1039/d2na00443g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Negative differential resistance (NDR) is one of the nonlinear transport phenomena in which ionic current decreases with the increase in electromotive potential. Electro-osmosis, diffusio-osmosis, and surface charge density of pores are the driving forces for observing NDR in nanoscale ion transport. Here, we report electrodiffusioosmosis induced NDR using micro to millimeter size pores in a two-dimensional (2D) graphene-coated copper (Gr/Cu) membrane. Along with NDR, we also observed ion current rectification (ICR), in which there is preferential one-directional ion flow for equal and opposite potentials. The experimentally observed NDR effect has been validated by performing ion transport simulations using Poisson-Nernst-Planck (PNP) equations and Navier-Stokes equations with the help of COMSOL Multiphysics considering salinity gradient across the membrane. Charge polarization induced electro-osmotic flow (EOF) dominates over diffusio-osmosis, causing the backflow of low concentration/conductivity solution into the pore, thereby causing NDR. This finding paves the way toward potential applications in ionic tunnel diodes as rectifiers, switches, amplifiers, and biosensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharad Kumar Yadav
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras Chennai 600036 India
- Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Madras Chennai 600036 India
- Micro Nano and Bio-Fluidics Group, Indian Institute of Technology Madras Chennai-600036 India
| | - D Manikandan
- Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Madras Chennai 600036 India
| | - Chob Singh
- Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Madras Chennai 600036 India
| | - Mukesh Kumar
- Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Madras Chennai 600036 India
| | - Vishal V R Nandigana
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras Chennai 600036 India
- Micro Nano and Bio-Fluidics Group, Indian Institute of Technology Madras Chennai-600036 India
| | - Pramoda K Nayak
- Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Madras Chennai 600036 India
- Micro Nano and Bio-Fluidics Group, Indian Institute of Technology Madras Chennai-600036 India
- 2D Materials Research and Innovation Group, Indian Institute of Technology Madras Chennai-600036 India
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26
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Transfer learning enhanced water-enabled electricity generation in highly oriented graphene oxide nanochannels. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6819. [DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34496-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractHarvesting energy from spontaneous water flow within artificial nanochannels is a promising route to meet sustainable power requirements of the fast-growing human society. However, large-scale nanochannel integration and the multi-parameter coupling restrictive influence on electric generation are still big challenges for macroscale applications. In this regard, long-range (1 to 20 cm) ordered graphene oxide assembled framework with integrated 2D nanochannels have been fabricated by a rotational freeze-casting method. The structure can promote spontaneous absorption and directional transmission of water inside the channels to generate considerable electric energy. A transfer learning strategy is implemented to address the complicated multi-parameters coupling problem under limited experimental data, which provides highly accurate performance optimization and efficiently guides the design of 2D water flow enabled generators. A generator unit can produce ~2.9 V voltage or ~16.8 μA current in a controllable manner. High electric output of ~12 V or ~83 μA is realized by connecting several devices in series or parallel. Different water enabled electricity generation systems have been developed to directly power commercial electronics like LED arrays and display screens, demonstrating the material’s potential for development of water enabled clean energy.
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27
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Dartoomi H, Khatibi M, Ashrafizadeh SN. Importance of nanochannels shape on blue energy generation in soft nanochannels. Electrochim Acta 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2022.141175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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28
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Green Y. Electrical Conductance of Charged Nanopores. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:36150-36156. [PMID: 36278037 PMCID: PMC9583083 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c02266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
A nanopore's response to an electrical potential drop is characterized by its electrical conductance, . For the last two decades, it has been thought that at low electrolyte concentrations, , the conductance is concentration-independent such that . It has been recently demonstrated that surface charge regulation changes the dependency to , whereby the slope typically takes the values α = 1/3 or 1/2. However, experiments have observed slopes of 2/3 and 1 suggesting that additional mechanisms, such as convection and slip-lengths, appear. Here, we elucidate the interplay between three mechanisms: surface charge regulation, convection, and slip lengths. We show that the inclusion of convection does not change the slope, and when the effects of hydrodynamic slip are included, the slope is doubled. We show that when all effects are accounted for, α can take any value between 0 and 1 where the exact value of the slope depends on the material properties. This result is of utmost importance in designing any electro-kinetically driven nanofluidic system characterized by its conductance.
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Yang J, Tu B, Fang M, Li L, Tang Z. Nanoscale Pore-Pore Coupling Effect on Ion Transport through Ordered Porous Monolayers. ACS NANO 2022; 16:13294-13300. [PMID: 35969205 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c05907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Distinct from the conventional view that nanopores are considered independent channels for mass transport, recent study on the covalent organic framework (COF)-based monolayers characteristic of an ordered nanopore array exhibits a series of interesting properties originating from the strong interactions between adjacent pores. These interactions are determined to be highly dependent on interpore distance and pose a significant influence on the ion transport, accounting for the exceptional membrane performance including both selectivity and conductance. In this Perspective, we discuss the recently discovered nanoscale pore-pore coupling as well as the exciting features of porous nanostructures. We also look at the challenges and future opportunities of ion transport in ordered porous monolayers in the aspects of both fundamental research and practical use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinlei Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Bin Tu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Munan Fang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Lianshan Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
| | - Zhiyong Tang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing 100190, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China
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30
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Dartoomi H, Khatibi M, Ashrafizadeh SN. Nanofluidic Membranes to Address the Challenges of Salinity Gradient Energy Harvesting: Roles of Nanochannel Geometry and Bipolar Soft Layer. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2022; 38:10313-10330. [PMID: 35952366 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.2c01790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Researchers are looking for new, clean, and accessible sources of energy due to rising global warming caused by the usage of fossil fuels and the irreversible harm that this does to the environment. Water salinity is one of the newest and most accessible renewable energy sources, which has sparked a lot of interest. Reverse electrodialysis (RED) has been utilized in the past to turn saline water into electricity. NRED, a reverse electrodialysis method utilizing nanofluidics, has gained popularity as nanoscale research advances. Developing and evaluating NRED systems is time-consuming and expensive due to the method's novelty; thus, modeling is required to identify the best locations for implementation and to comprehend its workings. In this work, we examined the influence of bipolar soft layer and nanochannel geometry on ion transfer and power production simultaneously. To achieve this, the two trumpet and cigarette geometries were coated with a bipolar soft layer so that both negative (type (I)) and positive (type (II)) charges could be positioned in the nanochannel's small aperture. After that, at steady state conditions, the Poisson-Nernst-Planck (PNP) and Navier-Stokes (NS) equations were solved concurrently. The findings revealed that altering the nanochannel coating from type (I) to type (II) alters the channel's selectivity from cations to anions. An approximately 22-fold improvement in energy conversion efficiency was achieved by raising the concentration ratio from 10 to 100 for the type (I) trumpet nanochannel. Type (I) cigarette geometry is advised for maximum power output at low and medium concentration ratios, whereas type (I) trumpet geometry is recommended for the maximum power production at high concentration ratios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hossein Dartoomi
- Research Lab for Advanced Separation Processes, Department of Chemical Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Narmak, Tehran 16846-13114, Iran
| | - Mahdi Khatibi
- Research Lab for Advanced Separation Processes, Department of Chemical Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Narmak, Tehran 16846-13114, Iran
| | - Seyed Nezameddin Ashrafizadeh
- Research Lab for Advanced Separation Processes, Department of Chemical Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Narmak, Tehran 16846-13114, Iran
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Dong Y, Zhao Z, Zhao J, Guo Z, Du G, Sun Y, He D, Duan J, Liu J, Yao H. High-Performance Osmotic Power Generators Based on the 1D/2D Hybrid Nanochannel System. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:29197-29212. [PMID: 35704847 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c05247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Extracting clean energy by converting the salinity gradient between river and sea into energy is an effective way to reduce the global pollution and carbon emissions. Reverse electrodialysis (RED) is of great importance to realize the energy conversion assisting the ion-selective membrane. However, its higher ion resistance and lower conversion efficiency results in the undesirable power conversion performance. Here, we demonstrate a 1D/2D hybrid nanochannel system to achieve high osmotic energy conversion and output power. This heterogeneous structure is composed of two structures, in which the subnanometer nanochannels in graphene oxide membrane (GOM) can serve as a selective layer and reduce the ion diffusion energy barrier, while the nanochannel in the polymer can introduce asymmetry to enhance ionic rectification and conversion efficiency. This heterogeneous membrane exhibits excellent cation selectivity and enhanced ionic current rectification (ICR) performance. The application of the GOM/PET hybrid nanochannel system in osmotic energy harvesting is evaluated, and the output power can reach up to 118.2 pW with the energy conversion efficiency of 40.3%. Theoretical calculation indicates that the 1D/2D hybrid system can effectively take the advantage of excellent cation selectivity of 2D lamellar nanochannels to improve its RED performance significantly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhua Dong
- Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou730000, PR China
- Key Laboratory for Magnetism and Magnetic Materials of Ministry of Education, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou730000, PR China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100049, PR China
| | - Zhuo Zhao
- Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou730000, PR China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100049, PR China
| | - Jing Zhao
- Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou730000, PR China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100049, PR China
| | - Zaichao Guo
- Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou730000, PR China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100049, PR China
| | - Guanghua Du
- Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou730000, PR China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100049, PR China
| | - Youmei Sun
- Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou730000, PR China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100049, PR China
| | - Deyan He
- Key Laboratory for Magnetism and Magnetic Materials of Ministry of Education, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou730000, PR China
| | - Jinglai Duan
- Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou730000, PR China
- Advanced Energy Science and Technology Guangdong Laboratory, Huizhou516000, PR China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100049, PR China
| | - Jie Liu
- Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou730000, PR China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100049, PR China
| | - Huijun Yao
- Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou730000, PR China
- Advanced Energy Science and Technology Guangdong Laboratory, Huizhou516000, PR China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100049, PR China
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32
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Ma L, An X, Song F, Qiu Y. Effective Charged Exterior Surfaces for Enhanced Ionic Diffusion through Nanopores under Salt Gradients. J Phys Chem Lett 2022; 13:5669-5676. [PMID: 35709379 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.2c01351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
High-performance osmotic energy conversion requires both large ionic throughput and high ionic selectivity, which can be significantly promoted by exterior surface charges simultaneously, especially for short nanopores. Here, we investigate the enhancement of ionic diffusion by charged exterior surfaces under various conditions and explore corresponding effective charged areas. From simulations, ionic diffusion is promoted more significantly by exterior surface charges through nanopores with a shorter length, wider diameter, and larger surface charge density or under higher salt gradients. Effective widths of the charged ring regions near nanopores are reversely proportional to the pore length and linearly dependent on the pore diameter, salt gradient, and surface charge density. Due to the important role of effective charged areas in the propagation of ionic diffusion through single nanopores to cases with porous membranes, our results may provide useful guidance to the design and fabrication of porous membranes for practical high-performance osmotic energy harvesting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long Ma
- Key Laboratory of High Efficiency and Clean Mechanical Manufacture of Ministry of Education, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Mechanical Engineering Education, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, 250061, China
- Shenzhen Research Institute of Shandong University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518000, China
- Suzhou Research Institute, Shandong University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, China
| | - Xuan An
- Key Laboratory of High Efficiency and Clean Mechanical Manufacture of Ministry of Education, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Mechanical Engineering Education, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, 250061, China
- School of Energy and Power Engineering, Northeast Electric Power University, Jilin 132012, China
| | - Fenhong Song
- School of Energy and Power Engineering, Northeast Electric Power University, Jilin 132012, China
| | - Yinghua Qiu
- Key Laboratory of High Efficiency and Clean Mechanical Manufacture of Ministry of Education, National Demonstration Center for Experimental Mechanical Engineering Education, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, 250061, China
- Shenzhen Research Institute of Shandong University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518000, China
- Suzhou Research Institute, Shandong University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, China
- Key Laboratory of Ocean Energy Utilization and Energy Conservation of Ministry of Education, Dalian, Liaoning 116024, China
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33
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Anomalous thermo-osmotic conversion performance of ionic covalent-organic-framework membranes in response to charge variations. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3386. [PMID: 35697704 PMCID: PMC9192728 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31183-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasing the charge density of ionic membranes is believed to be beneficial for generating high output osmotic energy. Herein, we systematically investigated how the membrane charge populations affect permselectivity by decoupling their effects from the impact of the pore structure using a multivariate strategy for constructing covalent-organic-framework membranes. The thermo-osmotic energy conversion efficiency is improved by increasing the membrane charge density, affording 210 W m−2 with a temperature gradient of 40 K. However, this enhancement occurs only within a narrow window, and subsequently, the efficiency plateaued beyond a threshold density (0.04 C m−2). The complex interplay between pore-pore interactions in response to charge variations for ion transport across the upscaled nanoporous membranes helps explain the obtained results. This study has far-reaching implications for the rational design of ionic membranes to augment energy extraction rather than intuitively focusing on achieving high densities. The development of ionic membranes with a high charge population is critical for realizing efficient thermo-osmotic energy conversion. Here, the authors demonstrated that the thermo-osmotic energy conversion efficiency can be improved by increasing the membrane charge density but this enhancement only occurs within a narrow window.
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Yang J, Tu B, Zhang G, Liu P, Hu K, Wang J, Yan Z, Huang Z, Fang M, Hou J, Fang Q, Qiu X, Li L, Tang Z. Advancing osmotic power generation by covalent organic framework monolayer. NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY 2022; 17:622-628. [PMID: 35469012 DOI: 10.1038/s41565-022-01110-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Osmotic power, also known as 'blue energy', is produced by mixing solutions of different salt concentrations, and represents a vast, sustainable and clean energy source. The efficiency of harvesting osmotic power is primarily determined by the transmembrane performance, which is in turn dependent on ion conductivity and selectivity towards positive or negative ions. Atomically or molecularly thin membranes with a uniform pore environment and high pore density are expected to possess an outstanding ion permeability and selectivity, but remain unexplored. Here we demonstrate that covalent organic framework monolayer membranes that feature a well-ordered pore arrangement can achieve an extremely low membrane resistivity and ultrahigh ion conductivity. When used as osmotic power generators, these membranes produce an unprecedented output power density over 200 W m-2 on mixing the artificial seawater and river water. This work opens up the application of porous monolayer membranes with an atomically precise structure in osmotic power generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinlei Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Bin Tu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Guangjie Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Pengchao Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Kui Hu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Jiarong Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Zhuang Yan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Zhiwei Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Munan Fang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Junjun Hou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Qiaojun Fang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Xiaohui Qiu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Lianshan Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, P. R. China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China.
| | - Zhiyong Tang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, P. R. China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China.
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35
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Affiliation(s)
- Laxmicharan Samineni
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Manish Kumar
- McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
- Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
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36
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Zuo X, Zhu C, Xian W, Meng QW, Guo Q, Zhu X, Wang S, Wang Y, Ma S, Sun Q. Thermo-Osmotic Energy Conversion Enabled by Covalent-Organic-Framework Membranes with Record Output Power Density. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022; 61:e202116910. [PMID: 35179288 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202116910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
A vast amount of energy can be extracted from the untapped low-grade heat from sources below 100 °C and the Gibbs free energy from salinity gradients. Therefore, a process for simultaneous and direct conversion of these energies into electricity using permselective membranes was developed in this study. These membranes screen charges of ion flux driven by the combined salinity and temperature gradients to achieve thermo-osmotic energy conversion. Increasing the charge density in the pore channels enhanced the permselectivity and ion conductance, leading to a larger osmotic voltage and current. A 14-fold increase in power density was achieved by adjusting the ionic site population of covalent organic framework (COF) membranes. The optimal COF membrane was operated under simulated estuary conditions at a temperature difference of 60 K, which yielded a power density of ≈231 W m-2 , placing it among the best performing upscaled membranes. The developed system can pave the way to the utilization of the enormous supply of untapped osmotic power and low-grade heat energy, indicating the tremendous potential of using COF membranes for energy conversion applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuhui Zuo
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Chemical Engineering Manufacture Technology, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Changjia Zhu
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Texas, 1508 W Mulberry St, Denton, TX 76201, USA
| | - Weipeng Xian
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Chemical Engineering Manufacture Technology, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Qing-Wei Meng
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Chemical Engineering Manufacture Technology, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Qing Guo
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Chemical Engineering Manufacture Technology, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Xincheng Zhu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Chemical Engineering Manufacture Technology, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Sai Wang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Chemical Engineering Manufacture Technology, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Yeqing Wang
- Key Lab of Applied Chemistry of Zhejiang Province, Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310028, China
| | - Shengqian Ma
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Texas, 1508 W Mulberry St, Denton, TX 76201, USA
| | - Qi Sun
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Advanced Chemical Engineering Manufacture Technology, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
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37
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Pardehkhorram R, Andrieu-Brunsen A. Pushing the limits of nanopore transport performance by polymer functionalization. Chem Commun (Camb) 2022; 58:5188-5204. [PMID: 35394003 DOI: 10.1039/d2cc01164f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Inspired by the design and performance of biological pores, polymer functionalization of nanopores has emerged as an evolving field to advance transport performance within the last few years. This feature article outlines developments in nanopore functionalization and the resulting transport performance including gating based on electrostatic interaction, wettability and ligand binding, gradual transport controlled by polymerization as well as functionalization-based asymmetric nanopore and nanoporous material design going towards the transport direction. Pushing the limits of nanopore transport performance and thus reducing the performance gap between biological and technological pores is strongly related to advances in polymerization chemistry and their translation into nanopore functionalization. Thereby, the effect of the spatial confinement has to be considered for polymer functionalization as well as for transport regulation, and mechanistic understanding is strongly increased by combining experiment and theory. A full mechanistic understanding together with highly precise nanopore structure design and polymer functionalization is not only expected to improve existing application of nanoporous materials but also opens the door to new technologies. The latter might include out of equilibrium devices, ionic circuits, or machine learning based sensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raheleh Pardehkhorram
- Macromolecular Chemistry, Smart Membranes, Technical University of Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany.
| | - Annette Andrieu-Brunsen
- Macromolecular Chemistry, Smart Membranes, Technical University of Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany.
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38
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Lu J, Xu H, Yu H, Hu X, Xia J, Zhu Y, Wang F, Wu HA, Jiang L, Wang H. Ultrafast rectifying counter-directional transport of proton and metal ions in metal-organic framework-based nanochannels. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabl5070. [PMID: 35385302 PMCID: PMC8985916 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abl5070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Bioinspired control of ion transport at the subnanoscale has become a major focus in the fields of nanofluidics and membrane separation. It is fundamentally important to achieve rectifying ion-specific transport in artificial ion channels, but it remains a challenge. Here, we report a previously unidentified metal-organic framework nanochannel (MOF NC) nanofluidic system to achieve unidirectional ultrafast counter-directional transport of alkaline metal ions and proton. This highly effective ion-specific rectifying transport behavior is attributed to two distinct mechanisms for metal ions and proton, elucidated by theoretical simulations. Notably, the MOF NC exhibits ultrafast proton conduction stemming from ultrahigh proton mobility, i.e., 11.3 × 10-7 m2 /V·s, and low energy barrier of 0.075 eV in MIL-53-COOH subnanochannels. Furthermore, the MOF NC shows excellent osmotic power-harvesting performance in reverse electrodialysis. This work expects to inspire further research into multifunctional biomimetic ion channels for advanced nanofluidics, biomimetics, and separation applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Lu
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Monash Center for Membrane Innovation, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Hengyu Xu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials; Department of Modern Mechanics, CAS Center for Excellence in Complex System Mechanics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
| | - Hao Yu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials; Department of Modern Mechanics, CAS Center for Excellence in Complex System Mechanics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
| | - Xiaoyi Hu
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Monash Center for Membrane Innovation, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Jun Xia
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials; Department of Modern Mechanics, CAS Center for Excellence in Complex System Mechanics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
| | - Yinlong Zhu
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Monash Center for Membrane Innovation, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Fengchao Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials; Department of Modern Mechanics, CAS Center for Excellence in Complex System Mechanics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
| | - Heng-An Wu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials; Department of Modern Mechanics, CAS Center for Excellence in Complex System Mechanics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
| | - Lei Jiang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Monash Center for Membrane Innovation, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Huanting Wang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Monash Center for Membrane Innovation, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
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39
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Sun Q, Zuo X, Zhu C, Xian W, Meng QW, Guo Q, Zhu X, Wang S, Wang Y, Ma S. Thermo‐Osmotic Energy Conversion Enabled by Covalent‐Organic‐Framework Membranes with Record Output Power Density. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202116910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Qi Sun
- Zhejiang University College of Chemical and Biological Engineering 310007 Hangzhou CHINA
| | - Xiuhui Zuo
- Zhejiang University College of Chemical and Biological Engineering CHINA
| | - Changjia Zhu
- University of North Texas Department of Chemistry 1508 W Mulberry St DentonDenton 76203-1277 Denton UNITED STATES
| | - Weipeng Xian
- Zhejiang University College of Chemical and Biological Engineering CHINA
| | - Qing-Wei Meng
- Zhejiang University College of Chemical and Biological Engineering CHINA
| | - Qing Guo
- Zhejiang University College of Chemical and Biological Engineering CHINA
| | - Xincheng Zhu
- Zhejiang University College of Chemical and Biological Engineering CHINA
| | - Sai Wang
- Zhejiang University College of Chemical and Biological Engineering CHINA
| | - Yeqing Wang
- Zhejiang University Department of Chemistry CHINA
| | - Shengqian Ma
- University of North Texas Department of Chemistry UNITED STATES
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40
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Zhang S, Hedtke T, Wang L, Wang X, Cao T, Elimelech M, Kim JH. Engineered Nanoconfinement Accelerating Spontaneous Manganese-Catalyzed Degradation of Organic Contaminants. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:16708-16715. [PMID: 34852199 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c06551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Manganese(III/IV) oxide minerals are known to spontaneously degrade organic pollutants in nature. However, the kinetics are too slow to be useful for engineered water treatment processes. Herein, we demonstrate that nanoscale Mn3O4 particles under nanoscale spatial confinement (down to 3-5 nm) can significantly accelerate the kinetics of pollutant degradation, nearly 3 orders of magnitude faster compared to the same reaction in the unconfined bulk phase. We first employed an anodized aluminum oxide scaffold with uniform channel dimensions for experimental and computational studies. We found that the observed kinetic enhancement resulted from the increased surface area of catalysts exposed to the reaction, as well as the increased local proton concentration at the Mn3O4 surface and subsequent acceleration of acid-catalyzed reactions even at neutral pH in bulk. We further demonstrate that a reactive Mn3O4-functionalized ceramic ultrafiltration membrane, a more suitable scaffold for realistic water treatment, achieved nearly complete removal of various phenolic and aniline pollutants, operated under a common ultrafiltration water flux. Our findings mark an important advance toward the development of catalytic membranes that can degrade pollutants in addition to their intrinsic function as a physical separation barrier, especially since they are based on accelerating natural catalytic pathways that do not require any chemical addition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuo Zhang
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, 17 Hillhouse Ave, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
| | - Tayler Hedtke
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, 17 Hillhouse Ave, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, 17 Hillhouse Ave, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
| | - Xiaoxiong Wang
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, 17 Hillhouse Ave, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
| | - Tianchi Cao
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, 17 Hillhouse Ave, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
| | - Menachem Elimelech
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, 17 Hillhouse Ave, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
| | - Jae-Hong Kim
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, 17 Hillhouse Ave, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
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41
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Wang L, Cao T, Dykstra JE, Porada S, Biesheuvel PM, Elimelech M. Salt and Water Transport in Reverse Osmosis Membranes: Beyond the Solution-Diffusion Model. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:16665-16675. [PMID: 34879196 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c05649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the salt-water separation mechanisms of reverse osmosis (RO) membranes is critical for the further development and optimization of RO technology. The solution-diffusion (SD) model is widely used to describe water and salt transport in RO, but it does not describe the intricate transport mechanisms of water molecules and ions through the membrane. In this study, we develop an ion transport model for RO, referred to as the solution-friction model, by rigorously considering the mechanisms of partitioning and the interactions among water, salt ions, and the membrane. Ion transport through the membrane is described by the extended Nernst-Planck equation, with the consideration of frictions between the species (i.e., ion, water, and membrane matrix). Water flow through the membrane is governed by the hydraulic pressure gradient and the friction between the water and membrane matrix as well as the friction between water and ions. The model is validated using experimental measurements of salt rejection and permeate water flux in a lab-scale, cross-flow RO setup. We then investigate the effects of feed salt concentration and hydraulic pressure on salt permeability, demonstrating strong dependence of salt permeability on feed salt concentration and applied pressure, starkly disparate from the SD model. Lastly, we develop a framework to analyze the pressure drop distribution across the membrane, demonstrating that cross-membrane transport dominates the overall pressure drop in RO, in marked contrast to the SD model that assumes no pressure drop across the membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Wang
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8286, United States
| | - Tianchi Cao
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8286, United States
| | - Jouke E Dykstra
- Environmental Technology, Wageningen University, Bornse Weilanden 9, 6708 WG Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Slawomir Porada
- Wetsus, European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, Oostergoweg 9, 8911 MA Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
| | - P M Biesheuvel
- Wetsus, European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, Oostergoweg 9, 8911 MA Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
| | - Menachem Elimelech
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8286, United States
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42
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Kendjy M, da Rosa AL, Frauenheim T. Electronic structure of molecular hydrogen in MoS 2nanopores. JOURNAL OF PHYSICS. CONDENSED MATTER : AN INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS JOURNAL 2021; 34:044005. [PMID: 34695814 DOI: 10.1088/1361-648x/ac3307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Atom controlled sub-nanometer MoS2pores have been recently fabricated with promising applications, such gas sensing, hydrogen storage and DNA translocation. In this work we carried out first-principles calculations of hydrogen adsorption in tiny MoS2nanopores. Some of the pores show metallic behaviour whereas others have a sizeable band gap. Whereas adsorption of molecular hydrogen on bare pores are dominated by physisorption, adsorption in the nanopores show chemisorption behaviour with high selectivity depending on the pore inner termination. Finally, we show that functionalization with copper atoms leads to does not improve dignificantly the adsorption energies of selected pores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Murilo Kendjy
- Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Campus Samambaia, 74690-900, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Andréia L da Rosa
- Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Campus Samambaia, 74690-900, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil
- Bremen Center for Computational Materials Science, University of Bremen, Am Fallturm 1, 28359, Bremen, Germany
| | - Th Frauenheim
- Bremen Center for Computational Materials Science, University of Bremen, Am Fallturm 1, 28359, Bremen, Germany
- Shenzhen Computational Science and Applied Research Institute, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China
- Beijing Computational Science Research Center, Beijing, People's Republic of China
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43
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Renewable Power Generation by Reverse Electrodialysis Using an Ion Exchange Membrane. MEMBRANES 2021; 11:membranes11110830. [PMID: 34832059 PMCID: PMC8619607 DOI: 10.3390/membranes11110830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Reverse electrodialysis (RED) is a promising technology to extract sustainable salinity gradient energy. However, the RED technology has not reached its full potential due to membrane efficiency and fouling and the complex interplay between ionic flows and fluidic configurations. We investigate renewable power generation by harnessing salinity gradient energy during reverse electrodialysis using a lab-scaled fluidic cell, consisting of two reservoirs separated by a nanoporous ion exchange membrane, under various flow rates (qf) and salt-concentration difference (Δc). The current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of the single RED unit reveals a linear dependence, similar to an electrochemical cell. The experimental results show that the change of inflow velocity has an insignificant impact on the I-V data for a wide range of flow rates explored (0.01–1 mL/min), corresponding to a low-Peclet number regime. Both the maximum RED power density (Pc,m) and open-circuit voltage (ϕ0) increase with increasing Δc. On the one hand, the RED cell’s internal resistance (Rc) empirically reveals a power-law dependence of Rc∝Δc−α. On the other hand, the open-circuit voltage shows a logarithmic relationship of ϕ0=BlnΔc+β. These experimental results are consistent with those by a nonlinear numerical simulation considering a single charged nanochannel, suggesting that parallelization of charged nano-capillaries might be a good upscaling model for a nanoporous membrane for RED applications.
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44
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Vinogradova OI, Silkina EF, Asmolov ES. Enhanced transport of ions by tuning surface properties of the nanochannel. Phys Rev E 2021; 104:035107. [PMID: 34654173 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.104.035107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Motivated by recent observations of anomalously large deviations of the conductivity currents in confined systems from the bulk behavior, we revisit the theory of ion transport in parallel-plate channels and also discuss how the wettability of a solid and the mobility of adsorbed surface charges impact the transport of ions. It is shown that depending on the ratio of the electrostatic disjoining pressure to the excess osmotic pressure at the walls two different regimes occur. In the thick channel regime this ratio is small and the channel effectively behaves as thick, even when the diffuse layers strongly overlap. The latter is possible for highly charged channels only. In the thin channel regime the disjoining pressure is comparable to the excess osmotic pressure at the wall, which implies relatively weakly charged walls. We derive simple expressions for the mean conductivity of the channel in these two regimes, highlighting the role of electrostatic and electrohydrodynamic boundary conditions. Our theory provides a simple explanation of the high conductivity observed experimentally in hydrophilic channels, and allows one to obtain rigorous bounds on its attainable value and scaling with salt concentration. Our results also show that further dramatic amplification of conductivity is possible if hydrophobic slip is involved, but only in the thick channel regime provided the walls are sufficiently highly charged and most of the adsorbed charges are immobile. However, for weakly charged surfaces the massive conductivity amplification due to hydrodynamic slip is impossible in both regimes. Interestingly, in this case the moderate slip-driven contribution to conductivity can monotonously decrease with the fraction of immobile adsorbed charges. These results provide a framework for tuning the conductivity of nanochannels by adjusting their surface properties and bulk electrolyte concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga I Vinogradova
- Frumkin Institute of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, Russian Academy of Science, 31 Leninsky Prospect, 119071 Moscow, Russia
| | - Elena F Silkina
- Frumkin Institute of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, Russian Academy of Science, 31 Leninsky Prospect, 119071 Moscow, Russia
| | - Evgeny S Asmolov
- Frumkin Institute of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, Russian Academy of Science, 31 Leninsky Prospect, 119071 Moscow, Russia
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45
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Laucirica G, Toimil-Molares ME, Trautmann C, Marmisollé W, Azzaroni O. Nanofluidic osmotic power generators - advanced nanoporous membranes and nanochannels for blue energy harvesting. Chem Sci 2021; 12:12874-12910. [PMID: 34745520 PMCID: PMC8513907 DOI: 10.1039/d1sc03581a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The increase of energy demand added to the concern for environmental pollution linked to energy generation based on the combustion of fossil fuels has motivated the study and development of new sustainable ways for energy harvesting. Among the different alternatives, the opportunity to generate energy by exploiting the osmotic pressure difference between water sources of different salinities has attracted considerable attention. It is well-known that this objective can be accomplished by employing ion-selective dense membranes. However, so far, the current state of this technology has shown limited performance which hinders its real application. In this context, advanced nanostructured membranes (nanoporous membranes) with high ion flux and selectivity enabling the enhancement of the output power are perceived as a promising strategy to overcome the existing barriers in this technology. While the utilization of nanoporous membranes for osmotic power generation is a relatively new field and therefore, its application for large-scale production is still uncertain, there have been major developments at the laboratory scale in recent years that demonstrate its huge potential. In this review, we introduce a comprehensive analysis of the main fundamental concepts behind osmotic energy generation and how the utilization of nanoporous membranes with tailored ion transport can be a key to the development of high-efficiency blue energy harvesting systems. Also, the document discusses experimental issues related to the different ways to fabricate this new generation of membranes and the different experimental set-ups for the energy-conversion measurements. We highlight the importance of optimizing the experimental variables through the detailed analysis of the influence on the energy capability of geometrical features related to the nanoporous membranes, surface charge density, concentration gradient, temperature, building block integration, and others. Finally, we summarize some representative studies in up-scaled membranes and discuss the main challenges and perspectives of this emerging field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregorio Laucirica
- Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas (INIFTA), Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, CONICET CC 16 Suc. 4 1900 La Plata Argentina http://softmatter.quimica.unlp.edu.ar www.twitter.com/softmatterlab
| | | | - Christina Trautmann
- GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung 64291 Darmstadt Germany
- Technische Universität Darmstadt, Materialwissenschaft 64287 Darmstadt Germany
| | - Waldemar Marmisollé
- Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas (INIFTA), Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, CONICET CC 16 Suc. 4 1900 La Plata Argentina http://softmatter.quimica.unlp.edu.ar www.twitter.com/softmatterlab
| | - Omar Azzaroni
- Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas (INIFTA), Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, CONICET CC 16 Suc. 4 1900 La Plata Argentina http://softmatter.quimica.unlp.edu.ar www.twitter.com/softmatterlab
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46
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Joly L, Meißner RH, Iannuzzi M, Tocci G. Osmotic Transport at the Aqueous Graphene and hBN Interfaces: Scaling Laws from a Unified, First-Principles Description. ACS NANO 2021; 15:15249-15258. [PMID: 34491721 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c05931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Osmotic transport in nanoconfined aqueous electrolytes provides alternative venues for water desalination and "blue energy" harvesting. The osmotic response of nanofluidic systems is controlled by the interfacial structure of water and electrolyte solutions in the so-called electrical double layer (EDL), but a molecular-level picture of the EDL is to a large extent still lacking. Particularly, the role of the electronic structure has not been considered in the description of electrolyte/surface interactions. Here, we report enhanced sampling simulations based on ab initio molecular dynamics, aiming at unravelling the free energy of prototypical ions adsorbed at the aqueous graphene and hBN interfaces, and its consequences on nanofluidic osmotic transport. Specifically, we predicted the zeta potential, the diffusio-osmotic mobility, and the diffusio-osmotic conductivity for a wide range of salt concentrations from the ab initio water and ion spatial distributions through an analytical framework based on Stokes equation and a modified Poisson-Boltzmann equation. We observed concentration-dependent scaling laws, together with dramatic differences in osmotic transport between the two interfaces, including diffusio-osmotic flow and current reversal on hBN but not on graphene. We could rationalize the results for the three osmotic responses with a simple model based on characteristic length scales for ion and water adsorption at the surface, which are quite different on graphene and on hBN. Our work provides fundamental insights into the structure and osmotic transport of aqueous electrolytes on 2D materials and explores alternative pathways for efficient water desalination and osmotic energy conversion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurent Joly
- Univ Lyon, Univ Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, Institut Lumière Matière, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France
- Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), 1 rue Descartes, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Robert H Meißner
- Hamburg University of Technology, Insitute of Polymers and Composites, Hamburg 21073, Germany
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon, Institute of Surface Science, Geesthacht 21502, Germany
| | - Marcella Iannuzzi
- Department of Chemistry, Universität Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Gabriele Tocci
- Department of Chemistry, Universität Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
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Abu-Rjal R, Green Y. Bipolar Nanochannels: A Systematic Approach to Asymmetric Problems. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:27622-27634. [PMID: 34080433 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c05643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Nanofluidic diodes are capable of rectifying the electrical current by several orders of magnitude. In the current state of affairs, determining the rectification factor is not possible as it depends on many system parameters. In this work, we systematically scan the effects of geometry and excess counterion concentrations (i.e., surface charge effects). We show that the current-voltage response varies between the two extreme behaviors of unipolar and bipolar responses. The exact behavior depends on the geometry and surface charge properties of the system. Here, we have gone beyond the typical setup that only considers the dynamics within the nanochannel itself and we have included the effects of the adjoining microchannels. Systems that include both nanochannels and microchannels exhibit the classical signatures of concentration polarization, such as ionic depletion and enrichment. Here, where we have scanned a wide range of parameters, we show that bipolar and semi-bipolar systems exhibit a wider range of phenomena that are intrinsically more complicated. Our system characterization is for both, the much more investigated case of steady state and the less investigated, but equally interesting, time-transient case. For example, it is common to characterize the system by its steady-state result (current-voltage response, rectification factor, and transport number). Here, we demonstrate that the time-transient behavior of the fluxes can also be used to characterize the system, and that the time-dependent rectification factors and transport numbers are meaningful. The systematic approach taken in this work, and the results presented herein, can be used to further elucidate the complicated behavior of the current-voltage response of nanofluidic diodes and to rationalize experimental results. The insights of this work can be used to enhance and improve the design of all nanofluidic diodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramadan Abu-Rjal
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Micro- and Nanofluidics Laboratory, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Technion City, Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Yoav Green
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel
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Tong X, Liu S, Crittenden J, Chen Y. Nanofluidic Membranes to Address the Challenges of Salinity Gradient Power Harvesting. ACS NANO 2021; 15:5838-5860. [PMID: 33844502 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c09513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Salinity gradient power (SGP) has been identified as a promising renewable energy source. Reverse electrodialysis (RED) and pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) are two membrane-based technologies for SGP harvesting. Developing nanopores and nanofluidic membranes with excellent water and/or ion transport properties for applications in those two membrane-based technologies is considered viable for improving power generation performance. Despite recent efforts to advance power generation by designing a variety of nanopores and nanofluidic membranes to enhance power density, the valid pathways toward large-scale power generation remain uncertain. In this review, we introduce the features of ion and water transport in nanofluidics that are potentially beneficial to power generation. Subsequently, we survey previous efforts on nanofluidic membrane synthesis to obtain high power density. We also discuss how the various membrane properties influence the power density in RED and PRO before moving on to other important aspects of the technologies, i.e., system energy efficiency and membrane fouling. We analyze the importance of system energy efficiency and illustrate how the delicately designed nanofluidic membranes can potentially enhance energy efficiency. Previous studies are reviewed on fabricating antifouling and antimicrobial membrane for power generation, and opportunities are presented that can lead to the design of nanofluidic membranes with superior antifouling properties using various materials. Finally, future research directions are presented on advancing membrane performance and scaling-up the system. We conclude this review by emphasizing the fact that SGP has the potential to become an important renewable energy source and that high-performance nanofluidic membranes can transform SGP harvesting from conceptual to large-scale applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Tong
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
- Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Su Liu
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
- Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - John Crittenden
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
- Brook Byers Institute for Sustainable Systems, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Yongsheng Chen
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
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