Electric energy generation in single track-etched nanopores

Abstract

We investigated the efficiency of electrical power generation in single track-etched nanopores by measuring the streaming currents and conductance. Experimental results indicate that both the efficiency and output power depend on the electrolyte concentration and the dimension of the pore. The highest efficiency of 5% was obtained in nanopores with small radii of 31 nm. The surface property of the track-etched nanopores was found very important to the kinetic-electric behaviors in the pores, especially when the electrolyte concentration was low.

High-efficiency ballistic electrostatic generator using microdroplets

“…Micro-and nanofluidic energy conversion systems have recently been studied using the streaming potential phenomenon. Maximal conversion efficiencies of 3-5% were obtained in nanofluidic channels 11,12 and nearly 11% in a microjet system 13,14 .…”

A pH‐Gating Ionic Transport Nanodevice: Asymmetric Chemical Modification of Single Nanochannels

“…[5,13] In this work the etched single nanochannel is symmetric and hour-glass shaped (see Supporting Information, Fig. S1).…”

“…Diameter measurements of hour-glass shaped nanochannels were conducted with a commonly used electrochemical method. [13] The opening at the base was usually $250-300 nm wide and the narrow center (tip) was $10-30 nm wide. Only one side of the nanochannel was treated by plasma-induced grafting in the vapor phase of the distilled acrylic acid (AAc), which became a pH-responsive polymer, [14] poly acrylic acid (PAA), after plasma-induced graft polymerization.…”

Surface charge density of the track-etched nanopores in polyethylene terephthalate foils

“…8 In all these applications, surface charge is crucially important, since it governs ion transport through the pores, especially when the salt concentration is low.…”