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Updated: Jul 12, 2026
05:29
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Published on: July 24, 2018
Continuous electricity from charged total dissolved solids in wastewater using a wood-based ion-selective power
Wenqing Yan1, Jianguo Sun1, Muze Han2,3
1Wood Materials Science, Institute for Building Materials, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland.
Nature Communications
|July 9, 2026
Summary
This study developed eco-friendly wood membranes for wastewater reuse, generating significant electrical output. These membranes offer a sustainable solution for the circular economy and powering small electronics.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Environmental Engineering
- Electrochemistry
Background:
- Wastewater utilization is key for a circular economy.
- Wood's structure offers potential for advanced material fabrication.
- Developing sustainable energy sources from waste streams is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To create anion-selective and cation-selective wood membranes.
- To explore secondary wastewater utilization.
- To generate electricity from modified wood.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of wood membranes via dip-coating with charged polymers.
- Utilizing sunlight-induced polymerization for surface encapsulation.
- Testing membrane performance in flue gas desulfurization wastewater.
Main Results:
- Modified wood cells produced 55 mV and 0.6 µA, a tenfold increase over untreated wood.
- Connecting five cells in series yielded 0.27 V, capable of powering simple electronics.
- The membranes consist of up to 98% eco-friendly materials.
Conclusions:
- Surface-encapsulated wood membranes show promise for wastewater energy harvesting.
- This technology supports the "take-make-use-reuse" circular economy model.
- Potential for scaling up in industrial power plant applications.
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