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Ma X, Neek-Amal M, Sun C. Advances in Two-Dimensional Ion-Selective Membranes: Bridging Nanoscale Insights to Industrial-Scale Salinity Gradient Energy Harvesting. ACS NANO 2024; 18:12610-12638. [PMID: 38733357 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c11646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
Salinity gradient energy, often referred to as the Gibbs free energy difference between saltwater and freshwater, is recognized as "blue energy" due to its inherent cleanliness, renewability, and continuous availability. Reverse electrodialysis (RED), relying on ion-selective membranes, stands as one of the most prevalent and promising methods for harnessing salinity gradient energy to generate electricity. Nevertheless, conventional RED membranes face challenges such as insufficient ion selectivity and transport rates and the difficulty of achieving the minimum commercial energy density threshold of 5 W/m2. In contrast, two-dimensional nanostructured materials, featuring nanoscale channels and abundant functional groups, offer a breakthrough by facilitating rapid ion transport and heightened selectivity. This comprehensive review delves into the mechanisms of osmotic power generation within a single nanopore and nanochannel, exploring optimal nanopore dimensions and nanochannel lengths. We subsequently examine the current landscape of power generation using two-dimensional nanostructured materials in laboratory-scale settings across various test areas. Furthermore, we address the notable decline in power density observed as test areas expand and propose essential criteria for the industrialization of two-dimensional ion-selective membranes. The review concludes with a forward-looking perspective, outlining future research directions, including scalable membrane fabrication, enhanced environmental adaptability, and integration into multiple industries. This review aims to bridge the gap between previous laboratory-scale investigations of two-dimensional ion-selective membranes in salinity gradient energy conversion and their potential large-scale industrial applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyi Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Flow in Power Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, People's Republic of China
| | - Mehdi Neek-Amal
- Department of Physics, Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University, Tehran 1678815811, Iran
- Departement Fysica, Universiteit Antwerpen, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Chengzhen Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Flow in Power Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, People's Republic of China
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Xu R, Zhang J, Kang Y, Yu H, Zhang W, Hua M, Pan B, Zhang X. Reversible pH-Gated MXene Membranes with Ultrahigh Mono-/Divalent-Ion Selectivity. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:6835-6842. [PMID: 38570313 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c10497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Artificial ion channel membranes hold high promise in water treatment, nanofluidics, and energy conversion, but it remains a great challenge to construct such smart membranes with both reversible ion-gating capability and desirable ion selectivity. Herein, we constructed a smart MXene-based membrane via p-phenylenediamine functionalization (MLM-PPD) with highly stable and aligned two-dimensional subnanochannels, which exhibits reversible ion-gating capability and ultrahigh metal ion selectivity similar to biological ion channels. The pH-sensitive groups within the MLM-PPD channel confers excellent reversible Mg2+-gating capability with a pH-switching ratio of up to 100. The mono/divalent metal-ion selectivity up to 1243.8 and 400.9 for K+/Mg2+ and Li+/Mg2+, respectively, outperforms other reported membranes. Theoretical calculations combined with experimental results reveal that the steric hindrance and stronger PPD-ion interactions substantially enhance the energy barrier for divalent metal ions passing through the MLM-PPD, and thus leading to ultrahigh mono/divalent metal-ion selectivity. This work provides a new strategy for developing artificial-ion channel membranes with both reversible ion-gating functionality and high-ion selectivity for various applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongming Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
- Research Center for Environmental Nanotechnology (ReCENT), Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Jingyue Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
- Research Center for Environmental Nanotechnology (ReCENT), Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yuan Kang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Hang Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
- Research Center for Environmental Nanotechnology (ReCENT), Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Weiming Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
- Research Center for Environmental Nanotechnology (ReCENT), Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Ming Hua
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
- Research Center for Environmental Nanotechnology (ReCENT), Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Bingcai Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
- Research Center for Environmental Nanotechnology (ReCENT), Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Xiwang Zhang
- UQ Dow Centre for Sustainable Engineering Innovation, School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland, St Lucia QLD 4072, Australia
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Han B, Sun X, Fan Z, Jiang H, Wang Z, Zhang W, He M, Ma J. Enhanced Mono/Divalent Ion Separation via Charged Interlayer Channels in Montmorillonite-Based Membranes. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:4415-4427. [PMID: 38373279 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c08853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
Efficient mono- and divalent ion separation is pivotal for environmental conservation and energy utilization. Two-dimensional (2D) materials featuring interlayer nanochannels exhibit unique water and ion transport properties, rendering them highly suitable for water treatment membranes. In this work, we incorporated polydopamine/polyethylenimine (PDA/PEI) copolymers into 2D montmorillonite (MMT) nanosheet interlayer channels through electrostatic interactions and bioinspired bonding. A modified laminar structure was formed on the substrate surface via a straightforward vacuum filtration. The electrodialysis experiments reveal that these membranes could achieve monovalent permselectivity of 11.06 and Na+ flux of 2.09 × 10-8 mol cm-2 s-1. The enhanced permselectivity results from the synergistic effect of electrostatic and steric hindrance effect. In addition, the interaction between the PDA/PEI copolymer and the MMT nanosheet ensures the long-term operational stability of the membranes. Theoretical simulations reveal that Na+ has a lower migration energy barrier and higher migration rate for the modified MMT-based membrane compared to Mg2+. This work presents a novel approach for the development of monovalent permselective membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Han
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150090, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuejin Sun
- North China Municipal Engineering Design & Research Institute Company, Limited, Tianjin 300110, People's Republic of China
| | - Zuoming Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150090, People's Republic of China
| | - Haicheng Jiang
- School of Environmental and Material Engineering, Yantai University, Yantai, Shandong 264005, People's Republic of China
| | - Ziyue Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150090, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenjuan Zhang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Aquatic Science and Technology, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Tianjin Chengjian University, Tianjin 300384, People's Republic of China
| | - Mingrui He
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150090, People's Republic of China
| | - Jun Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resources and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150090, People's Republic of China
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Luo G, Wu Y, Zeng X, Zhou W, Wang P, Zhang W. Lithium-Ion-Sieve-Embedded Hybrid Membranes for Anion-Exchange- and Cation-Concentration-Driven Li/Mg Separation. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024. [PMID: 38381533 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c19100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
There is an urgent need to develop efficient and environmentally friendly technologies for separating Li+ from brines containing abundant Mg2+ to meet the growing demand for lithium resources. In this work, we prepared hybrid membranes by integrating hydrogen manganese oxide (HMO), a lithium-ion sieve, as a filler into anion-exchange membranes (AEMs), the quaternary ammonium-functionalized poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (QPPO) and poly(m-terphenyl piperidinium) (m-PTP). Cations are transported by electrostatic attraction originating from anions and the concentration difference across membranes. Because of the effects of electrostatic repulsion of the fixed cationic groups and steric resistance in AEMs, Li+ with less charge and smaller radius will preferentially pass through the membrane. In addition, the presence of HMO provides an additional fast transport channel for Li+, resulting in an enhanced Li+/Mg2+ separation performance. The results show that 20%HMO@m-PTP exhibits high Li+ flux (0.48 mol/m2·h) and Li+/Mg2+ selectivity (βLi+/Mg2+ = 14.1). Molecular dynamics simulations show that m-PTP has more free volume than QPPO, which is beneficial for rapid cation transport. Spectral analysis confirms the insertion and sieving of Li+ in HMO. This work illustrates the great potential of anion-exchange- and cation-concentration-driven hybrid membranes based on lithium-ion sieves for low-energy and efficient Li+ extraction processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guozhen Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Membrane Science and Desalination Technology, and School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Yixuan Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Membrane Science and Desalination Technology, and School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Xianjie Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Membrane Science and Desalination Technology, and School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Weishan Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Membrane Science and Desalination Technology, and School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Ping Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Membrane Science and Desalination Technology, and School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Wen Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Membrane Science and Desalination Technology, and School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China
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Huang Y, Afolabi MA, Gan L, Liu S, Chen Y. MXene-Coated Ion-Selective Electrode Sensors for Highly Stable and Selective Lithium Dynamics Monitoring. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:1359-1368. [PMID: 38079615 PMCID: PMC10795166 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c06235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
Lithium holds immense significance in propelling sustainable energy and environmental systems forward. However, existing sensors used for lithium monitoring encounter issues concerning their selectivity and long-term durability. Addressing these challenges is crucial to ensure accurate and reliable lithium measurements during the lithium recovery processes. In response to these concerns, this study proposes a novel approach involving the use of an MXene composite membrane with incorporated poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS) as an antibiofouling layer on the Li+ ion selective electrode (ISE) sensors. The resulting MXene-PSS Li+ ISE sensor demonstrates exceptional electrochemical performance, showcasing a superior slope (59.42 mV/dec), lower detection limit (10-7.2 M), quicker response time (∼10 s), higher selectivity to Na+ (-2.37) and K+ (-2.54), and reduced impedance (106.9 kΩ) when compared to conventional Li+ ISE sensors. These improvements are attributed to the unique electronic conductivity and layered structure of the MXene-PSS nanosheet coating layer. In addition, the study exhibits the long-term accuracy and durability of the MXene-PSS Li+ ISE sensor by subjecting it to real wastewater testing for 14 days, resulting in sensor reading errors of less than 10% when compared to laboratory validation results. This research highlights the great potential of MXene nanosheet coatings in advancing sensor technology, particularly in challenging applications, such as detecting emerging contaminants and developing implantable biosensors. The findings offer promising prospects for future advancements in sensor technology, particularly in the context of sustainable energy and environmental monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lan Gan
- School of Civil and Environmental
Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Su Liu
- School of Civil and Environmental
Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Yongsheng Chen
- School of Civil and Environmental
Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
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Afolabi MA, Xiao D, Chen Y. The Impact of Surface Chemistry and Synthesis Conditions on the Adsorption of Antibiotics onto MXene Membranes. Molecules 2023; 29:148. [PMID: 38202731 PMCID: PMC10780216 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29010148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
MXene, a two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterial with diverse applications, has gained significant attention due to its 2D lamellar structure, abundance of surface groups, and conductivity. Despite various established synthesis methods since its discovery in 2011, MXenes produced through different approaches exhibit variations in structural and physicochemical characteristics, impacting their suitability for environmental application. This study delves into the effect of synthesis conditions on MXene properties and its adsorption capabilities for four commonly prescribed antibiotics. We utilized material characterization techniques to differentiate MXenes synthesized using three prevalent etchants: hydrofluoric acid (HF), mixed acids (HCl/HF), and fluoride salts (LiF/HCl). Our investigation of adsorption performance included isotherm and kinetic analysis, complemented by density functional theory calculations. The results of this research pinpointed LiF/HCl as an efficient etchant, yielding MXene with favorable morphology and surface chemistry. Electrostatic interactions and hydrogen bonding between MXene surface terminations and ionizable moieties of the antibiotic molecules emerge as pivotal factors in adsorption. Specifically, a higher presence of oxygen terminations increases the binding affinities. These findings provide valuable guidance for etchant selection in environmental applications and underscore the potential to tailor MXenes through synthesis conditions to design membranes capable of selectively removing antibiotics and other targeted substances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moyosore A. Afolabi
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA;
| | - Dequan Xiao
- Center for Integrative Materials Discovery, Department of Chemistry and Chemical & Biomedical Engineering, University of New Haven, West Haven, CT 06516, USA;
| | - Yongsheng Chen
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA;
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Lithium-ion extraction using electro-driven freestanding graphene oxide composite membranes. J Memb Sci 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2023.121448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
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