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Gating ion and fluid transport with chiral solvent
Savannah Silva1, Siddharth Singh2, Ethan Cao1
1Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA. zsiwy@uci.edu.
Faraday Discussions
|July 10, 2023
Summary
Chiral solvents create unique interfacial structures that influence ion distribution and transport at solid-liquid interfaces, impacting membrane and energy storage technologies. This study reveals how solvent chirality affects electrical double layer properties.
Area of Science:
- Physical Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
Background:
- Modern membranes and energy storage devices rely on understanding ion behavior at solid interfaces, often modeled by the electrical double layer (EDL) theory.
- Classical EDL models overlook crucial factors like solvent organization and its impact on electrochemical potential, which are vital for electrokinetic phenomena.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the molecular-level mechanisms by which solvent structure governs ionic distributions at solid-liquid interfaces.
- To investigate the role of solvent chirality and salt concentration in tuning interfacial properties and transport phenomena.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a model system with enantiomerically pure and racemic propylene carbonate at a silica interface.
- Employed nonlinear spectroscopic experiments and electrochemical measurements to analyze interfacial structure and ionic behavior.
- Probed surface charge in silicon nitride and polymer pores via electroosmosis measurements.
Main Results:
- Observed lipid-bilayer-like interfacial organization of the solvent, with structure dependent on solvent chirality.
- Racemic solvent induced highly ordered layers, leading to positive effective surface potential across various electrolyte concentrations.
- Enantiomerically pure solvent showed weaker ordering, resulting in lower effective surface charge due to ion partitioning.
Conclusions:
- Solvent structure, particularly its chirality, significantly dictates ionic distributions and transport at solid-liquid interfaces.
- Findings highlight the importance of incorporating solvent effects into interfacial models for improved membrane and energy storage applications.
- This work contributes to chiral electrochemistry by demonstrating the influence of solvent chirality on interfacial phenomena.
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