Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 27, 2025

Merging Ion Concentration Polarization between Juxtaposed Ion Exchange Membranes to Block the Propagation of the Polarization Zone
Published on: February 23, 2017
A numerical study on ion concentration polarization and electric circuit performance of an electrokinetic battery
Yanmei Jiao1, Cunlu Zhao2, Chun Yang3
1School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, P. R. China.
Abstract:
Ion concentration polarization (ICP) imposes remarkable adverse effects on the energy conversion performance of the pressure-driven electrokinetic (EK) flows through a capillary system that can be equivalently treated as a battery. An optimized dimensionless numerical method is proposed in this study to investigate the causes and the effects of the ICP. Results show that remarkable ICP phenomena are induced under certain conditions such as high applied pressure, high surface charge density, and small inversed Debye length at dimensionless values of 6000, -10, and 0.5. Meanwhile, different factors influence the ICP and the corresponding electric properties in different ways. Particularly for the overall electric resistance, the applied pressure and the surface charge density mainly affect the variation amplitude and the level of the overall electric resistance when varying the output electric potential, respectively. Differently, the Debye length affects the overall electric resistance in both aspects. Ultimately, the induced ICP leads to significant nonlinear current-potential curves.
Related Concept Videos
Controlled-Potential Coulometry: Electrolytic Methods
The chosen potential...
Electrogravimetric Analysis: Overview
To test the completeness of the...
Dielectric Polarization in a Capacitor
Concentration Cells
Consider the following voltaic cell:
DC Battery
Electrolysis

