Grand-canonical Monte Carlo simulation study of polyelectrolyte diode

Electrochemical mechanism of ion current rectification of polyelectrolyte gel diodes

“…Nanochannels of asymmetric shapes were shown to rectify ion currents that are generated by Ag/AgCl electrodes [3][4][5][6] . Polyelectrolyte gel diodes (PGDs) that are the double layers of two oppositely charged polyelectrolyte gels (that are swollen in aqueous solutions), sandwiched by two symmetric metal electrodes, are another type of ionic diodes that rectify ion currents [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] . These diodes are designed to operate with a physical mechanism that is analogous to conventional semiconductor diodes-the asymmetry in the permeability of ions across the interfaces between the two oppositely charged gels [8][9][10][11][12] .…”

“…Polyelectrolyte gel diodes (PGDs) that are the double layers of two oppositely charged polyelectrolyte gels (that are swollen in aqueous solutions), sandwiched by two symmetric metal electrodes, are another type of ionic diodes that rectify ion currents [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] . These diodes are designed to operate with a physical mechanism that is analogous to conventional semiconductor diodes-the asymmetry in the permeability of ions across the interfaces between the two oppositely charged gels [8][9][10][11][12] . However, in contrast to p-n diodes, where electrons and holes are the carriers of the entire systems, for the cases of PGDs, electric currents are carried by electrons in the external circuits and are carried by ions in the polyelectrolyte gels; PGDs do not show steady electric currents unless electrons are transferred between electrodes and reactants by electrochemical reactions.…”