Power Generation by Pressure-Driven Transport of Ions in Nanofluidic Channels

We report on the efficiency of electrical power generation in individual rectangular nanochannels by means of streaming currents, the pressure-driven transport of counterions in the electrical double layer. Our experimental study as a function of channel height and salt concentration reveals that th...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nano letters 2007-04, Vol.7 (4), p.1022-1025
Main Authors: van der Heyden, Frank H. J, Bonthuis, Douwe Jan, Stein, Derek, Meyer, Christine, Dekker, Cees
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties
Electric Power Supplies
Electricity
Electrochemistry - instrumentation
Electrochemistry - methods
Electronics
Equipment Design
Equipment Failure Analysis
Exact sciences and technology
Ions
Low-dimensional structures (superlattices, quantum well structures, multilayers): structure, and nonelectronic properties
Micro- and nanoelectromechanical devices (mems/nems)
Microfluidics - instrumentation
Microfluidics - methods
Nanotechnology - instrumentation
Nanotechnology - methods
Physics
Pressure
Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices
Surfaces and interfaces
thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties)
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Summary:We report on the efficiency of electrical power generation in individual rectangular nanochannels by means of streaming currents, the pressure-driven transport of counterions in the electrical double layer. Our experimental study as a function of channel height and salt concentration reveals that the highest efficiency occurs when double layers overlap, which corresponds to nanoscale fluidic channels filled with aqueous solutions of low ionic strength. The highest efficiency of ∼3% was found for a 75 nm high channel, the smallest channel measured. The data are well described by Poisson−Boltzmann theory with an additional electrical conductance of the Stern layer.
ISSN:1530-6984
1530-6992
DOI:10.1021/nl070194h