Cation-selective layered silicon oxide membranes for power generation

Abstract

Inorganic two-dimensional membranes offer a new approach to modulating mass transport at the nanoscale. These membranes, which can harness the van der Waals gap as a nanochannel and address persistent challenges in organic membranes, are limited to a few material libraries, such as graphene, graphene oxide, molybdenum disulfide, and boron nitride. Here we report for the first time the development of cation-selective layered silicon oxide membranes, in which the nanochannels, specifically the van der Waals gap, can allow cation diffusion flux to generate an electromotive force for a long time. Considering the abundance and well-known properties of silicon oxide, this inorganic membrane can provide a promising route for membrane separation in a variety of applications.

Keywords

• nanofluidics
• membrane
• cation selectivity
• salinity gradient power generation
• silicon