TY - JOUR
T1 - Solvation-Driven Actuation of Anion-Exchange Membranes
AU - Ulbricht, Nicco
AU - Boldini, Alain
AU - Bae, Chulsung
AU - Wallmersperger, Thomas
AU - Porfiri, Maurizio
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors acknowledge financial support from the National Science Foundation under Grant No. OISE‐1545857. The authors are thankful to Simon Carrillo Segura and Dr. Peng Zhang for their support during the experiments.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Authors. Advanced Materials Interfaces published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.
PY - 2022/8/22
Y1 - 2022/8/22
N2 - Ion-exchange membranes, conventionally utilized in separation processes of electrolyte solutions, are electroactive polymers that display a unique coupling between electrochemistry and mechanics. Previous experimental studies have demonstrated the possibility of actuating cation-exchange membranes in salt solution through the application of a remote external electric field. The use of anion-exchange membranes as contactless actuators, however, has never been documented and little is known about the physics of their actuation. Here, it is reported for the first time the possibility of contactless actuating anion-exchange membranes in salt solutions; such an actuation is mediated by the selection of anions in the external salt solution and the membrane. Actuation is attributed to the physical phenomenon of solvation, the interaction between ions and solvent in solution. Contrary to previous studies with cation-exchange membranes, the results show that anion-exchange membranes consistently bend toward the anode. The integration of anion-exchange and cation-exchange membranes in composites promises innovative programmable contactless actuators, with applications in underwater robotics and biomedical engineering.
AB - Ion-exchange membranes, conventionally utilized in separation processes of electrolyte solutions, are electroactive polymers that display a unique coupling between electrochemistry and mechanics. Previous experimental studies have demonstrated the possibility of actuating cation-exchange membranes in salt solution through the application of a remote external electric field. The use of anion-exchange membranes as contactless actuators, however, has never been documented and little is known about the physics of their actuation. Here, it is reported for the first time the possibility of contactless actuating anion-exchange membranes in salt solutions; such an actuation is mediated by the selection of anions in the external salt solution and the membrane. Actuation is attributed to the physical phenomenon of solvation, the interaction between ions and solvent in solution. Contrary to previous studies with cation-exchange membranes, the results show that anion-exchange membranes consistently bend toward the anode. The integration of anion-exchange and cation-exchange membranes in composites promises innovative programmable contactless actuators, with applications in underwater robotics and biomedical engineering.
KW - anion-exchange membranes
KW - electrochemistry
KW - electrolyte
KW - soft actuators
KW - solvation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85135041467&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85135041467&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/admi.202200888
DO - 10.1002/admi.202200888
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85135041467
SN - 2196-7350
VL - 9
JO - Advanced Materials Interfaces
JF - Advanced Materials Interfaces
IS - 24
M1 - 2200888
ER -