Liu Ting-Ran, Fung Man Yui Thomas, Yeh Li-Hsien, Chiang Chun-Hao, Yang Jhih-Sian, Kuo Pai-Chia, Shiue Jessie, Chen Chia-Chun, Chen Chun-Wei
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan.
Department of Chemical Engineering, National Taiwan University, of Science and Technology, Taipei, 10607, Taiwan.
Small. 2024 Apr;20(16):e2306018. doi: 10.1002/smll.202306018. Epub 2023 Dec 2.
Atomically thin two-dimensional (2D) materials have emerged as promising candidates for efficient energy harvesting from ionic gradients. However, the exploration of robust 2D atomically thin nanopore membranes, which hold sufficient ionic selectivity and high ion permeability, remains challenging. Here, the single-layer hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) nanopores are demonstrated as various high-performance ion-gradient nanopower harvesters. Benefiting from the ultrathin atomic thickness and large surface charge (also a large Dukhin number), the hBN nanopore can realize fast proton transport while maintaining excellent cation selectivity even in highly acidic environments. Therefore, a single hBN nanopore achieves the pure osmosis-driven proton-gradient power up to ≈3 nW under 1000-fold ionic gradient. In addition, the robustness of hBN membranes in extreme pH conditions allows the ionic gradient power generation from acid-base neutralization. Utilizing 1 m HCl/KOH, the generated power can be promoted to an extraordinarily high level of ≈4.5 nW, over one magnitude higher than all existing ionic gradient power generators. The synergistic effects of ultrathin thickness, large surface charge, and excellent chemical inertness of 2D single-layer hBN render it a promising membrane candidate for harvesting ionic gradient powers, even under extreme pH conditions.
原子级薄的二维（2D）材料已成为从离子梯度高效收集能量的有前景的候选材料。然而，探索具有足够离子选择性和高离子渗透性的坚固二维原子级薄纳米孔膜仍然具有挑战性。在此，单层六方氮化硼（hBN）纳米孔被证明是各种高性能离子梯度纳米能量收集器。得益于超薄的原子厚度和大表面电荷（也是大杜申数），hBN纳米孔即使在高酸性环境中也能实现快速质子传输，同时保持优异的阳离子选择性。因此，单个hBN纳米孔在1000倍离子梯度下可实现高达约3 nW的纯渗透驱动质子梯度功率。此外，hBN膜在极端pH条件下的坚固性使得能够通过酸碱中和产生离子梯度功率。使用1 m HCl/KOH，产生的功率可提升至约4.5 nW的极高水平，比所有现有的离子梯度功率发生器高出一个数量级以上。二维单层hBN的超薄厚度、大表面电荷和优异化学惰性的协同效应使其成为即使在极端pH条件下收集离子梯度功率的有前景的膜候选材料。
