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Updated: May 15, 2026
16:24
Controlling the Size, Shape and Stability of Supramolecular Polymers in Water
Published on: August 2, 2012
Protein-Like Salting-Out Aggregation Toward Polymeric Cation Nanochannels for Precise Ion Transport.
Guangpeng Ma1, Jinxuanting Yang1, Xuanyi Tong1
1State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Frontier Science Center For Smart Materials, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, P. R. China.
Small (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|May 14, 2026
Summary
This study introduces a new method for creating precise cation nanochannels (∼3.2 Å) using sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK). These membranes achieve high ion selectivity and improve energy conversion efficiency for osmotic power generation.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Sustainable Energy
Background:
- Selective ion transport is key for efficient osmotic energy harvesting.
- Biological ion channels achieve high selectivity via a ~3 Å "selectivity filter."
- Artificial polymeric nanochannels struggle with precise size control for high selectivity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop precisely-defined cation channels of ~3.2 Å for enhanced ion selectivity.
- To create a cost-effective method for fabricating highly selective nanochannel membranes.
- To improve osmotic energy conversion efficiency using novel nanochannel membranes.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing salting-out aggregation of sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) in dimethyl sulfoxide.
- Inducing polymer chain assembly via organic salt addition to modify solvation shells.
- Fabricating cation nanochannel membranes (CNMs) spontaneously at room temperature.
Main Results:
- Developed CNMs with a precise channel size of ~3.2 Å.
- Achieved significantly higher Na+/Cl- selectivity (0.97) compared to conventional SPEEK membranes.
- Demonstrated improved ion conductivity, leading to high power density (5.31 W m⁻²) and energy conversion efficiency (44.2%).
Conclusions:
- The salting-out aggregation method offers an economically feasible route to highly selective nanochannel membranes.
- The fabricated CNMs show superior performance in osmotic energy generation.
- This breakthrough addresses the challenge of precisely tuning nanochannel size for enhanced ion selectivity.
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