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Related Concept Videos

Ion Exchange01:17

Ion Exchange

732
Ion exchange chromatography separates charged molecules from a solution by reversibly exchanging them with mobile, or 'active', ions associated with the oppositely charged stationary phase. This method can be used to separate ions, soften and deionize water, and purify solutions. The polymers comprising the ion-exchange column are high-molecular-weight and chemically stable polymers, crosslinked to be porous and essentially insoluble. They are also functionalized with either acidic or...
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Ionic Crystal Structures02:42

Ionic Crystal Structures

15.8K
Ionic crystals consist of two or more different kinds of ions that usually have different sizes. The packing of these ions into a crystal structure is more complex than the packing of metal atoms that are the same size.
Most monatomic ions behave as charged spheres, and their attraction for ions of opposite charge is the same in every direction. Consequently, stable structures for ionic compounds result (1) when ions of one charge are surrounded by as many ions as possible of the opposite...
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Ion-Exchange Chromatography01:09

Ion-Exchange Chromatography

1.0K
Ion-exchange chromatography, or IEC, is a technique for separating ions based on their affinity for the stationary phase. The stationary phase is a cross-linked polymer resin with covalently attached ionic functional groups. The functional groups can be either positively charged (cation exchangers) or negatively charged (anion exchangers). A cation exchanger consists of a polymeric anion and active cations, while an anion exchanger is a polymeric cation with active anions. The choice of...
1.0K
Intermolecular Forces03:13

Intermolecular Forces

64.0K
Atoms and molecules interact through bonds (or forces): intramolecular and intermolecular. The forces are electrostatic as they arise from interactions (attractive or repulsive) between charged species (permanent, partial, or temporary charges) and exist with varying strengths between ions, polar, nonpolar, and neutral molecules. The different types of intermolecular forces are ion–dipole, dipole–dipole, hydrogen bonds, and dispersion; among these, dipole–dipole, hydrogen...
64.0K
Molecular and Ionic Solids02:54

Molecular and Ionic Solids

18.6K
Crystalline solids are divided into four types: molecular, ionic, metallic, and covalent network based on the type of constituent units and their interparticle interactions.
Molecular Solids
Molecular crystalline solids, such as ice, sucrose (table sugar), and iodine, are solids that are composed of neutral molecules as their constituent units. These molecules are held together by weak intermolecular forces such as London dispersion forces, dipole-dipole interactions, or hydrogen bonds, which...
18.6K
Ionic Bonding and Electron Transfer02:48

Ionic Bonding and Electron Transfer

44.6K
Ions are atoms or molecules bearing an electrical charge. A cation (a positive ion) forms when a neutral atom loses one or more electrons from its valence shell, and an anion (a negative ion) forms when a neutral atom gains one or more electrons in its valence shell. Compounds composed of ions are called ionic compounds (or salts), and their constituent ions are held together by ionic bonds: electrostatic forces of attraction between oppositely charged cations and anions. 
44.6K

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Updated: Oct 22, 2025

Electrophoretic Crystallization of Ultrathin High-performance Metal-organic Framework Membranes
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Ion exchange in atomically thin clays and micas.

Yi-Chao Zou1,2, Lucas Mogg3,4,5, Nick Clark2,3

  • 1School of Materials Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, P. R. China.

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|August 27, 2021
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Ion exchange in atomically thin clays and micas is significantly faster than in bulk materials. This discovery unlocks potential for advanced membrane applications using these nanomaterials.

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Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Nanotechnology
  • Physical Chemistry

Background:

  • Controlling physical properties of clays and micas via ion exchange is crucial for various applications.
  • Ion-exchange dynamics in few-layer or atomically thin crystals remain largely unexplored.
  • Atomically thin materials offer superior properties for membrane applications.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate ion exchange dynamics at the atomic scale in few-layer clays and micas.
  • To reveal individual ion binding sites and diffusion mechanisms in confined spaces.
  • To understand how ion exchange can be optimized in exfoliated clay membranes.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized atomic-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM).
  • Studied ion exchange dynamics in atomically thin and artificially restacked clays and micas.
  • Analyzed ion diffusion coefficients and binding site arrangements.

Main Results:

  • Discovered ion diffusion coefficients up to 10^4 times larger in atomically thin samples compared to bulk crystals.
  • Observed fast ion exchange at restacked interfaces, even where bulk exchange is not expected.
  • Identified arrangement of exchanged ions in islands controlled by moiré superlattice dimensions.
  • Attributed fast diffusion to enhanced interlayer expandability and weaker interlayer binding forces.

Conclusions:

  • Fast ion diffusion in atomically thin and restacked clays/micas is driven by reduced interlayer binding forces.
  • Atomic-scale insights into ion diffusion in highly confined environments were provided.
  • Strategies for designing high-performance exfoliated clay membranes were suggested.