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Temperature difference-enhanced salinity gradient energy conversion enabled by thermostable hydrogel membrane with anti-swelling property

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Abstract

Coupling low-grade heat (LGH) with salinity gradient is an effective approach to increase the efficiency of the nanofluidic-membrane-based power generator. However, it is a challenge to fabricate membranes with high charge density that ensures ion permselectivity, while maintaining chemical and mechanical stability in this composite environment. Here, we develop a bis[2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl] phosphate (BMAP) hydrogel membrane with good thermal stability and anti-swelling property through self-crosslinking of the selected monomer. By taking advantage of negative space charge and three-dimensional (3D) interconnected nanochannels, salinity gradient energy conversion efficiency is substantially enhanced by temperature difference. Theoretical and experimental results verify that LGH can largely weaken the concentration polarization, promoting transmembrane ion transport. As a result, such a hydrogel membrane delivers high-performance energy conversion with a power density of 11.53 W·m−2 under a negative temperature difference (NTD), showing a 193% increase compared with that without NTD.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (Nos. 2022YFB3805904, 2022YFB3805900, and 2020YFA0710401), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 22122207, 21988102, and 52075138), CAS Key Laboratory of Bio-inspired Materials and Interfacial Science, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry (No. BMIS202102), China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Nos. 2022TQ0345, 2022M723229, and 2022M713226), and Postdoctoral International Exchange Talent-Introducing Program (No. YJ20220199).

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  1. Zhehua Zhang and Teng Zhou contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Bio-inspired Materials and Interfacial Science, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    Zhehua Zhang, Xiang-Yu Kong, Yadong Wu, Weiwen Xin, Yanglansen Cui, Linsen Yang, Tingyang Li, Xin Li, Qingchen Wang, Weipeng Chen, Lei Jiang & Liping Wen

  2. School of Future Technology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    Zhehua Zhang, Yadong Wu, Weiwen Xin, Tingyang Li, Xin Li, Qingchen Wang, Lei Jiang & Liping Wen

  3. College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China

    Teng Zhou

  4. Binzhou Institute of Technology, Binzhou, 256600, China

    Xiang-Yu Kong & Liping Wen

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  1. Zhehua Zhang
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  2. Teng Zhou
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Correspondence to Weipeng Chen or Liping Wen.

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Temperature difference-enhanced salinity gradient energy conversion enabled by thermostable hydrogel membrane with anti-swelling property

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Zhang, Z., Zhou, T., Kong, XY. et al. Temperature difference-enhanced salinity gradient energy conversion enabled by thermostable hydrogel membrane with anti-swelling property. Nano Res. 16, 11288–11295 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-023-5794-8

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