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Ion-exchange membranes: The cactus effect

Nature Reviews Materials volume 1, Article number: 16038 (2016) Cite this article

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Many techniques developed to maintain the hydration of polymer membranes rely on the addition of external, and bulky, water management systems or require the fabrication of polymers with specific morphologies. For applications of a smaller size, external systems are not viable and the fabrication of specific morphologies often requires complex fabrication procedures. Hence, Michael Guiver, Young Moo Lee and an international team of co-workers have taken inspiration from the cactus plant to design coated membranes that respond to surrounding humidity, retain water, and demonstrate high conductivity in model fuel cell and reverse electrodialysis experiments. “This bioinspired approach involving thin, hydrophobic layers with very narrow nanocracks, which open in humidifying conditions, is able to overcome the challenge of conserving water in the bulk membrane while not hindering ion transport,” says Lee.

This bioinspired approach … is able to overcome the challenge of conserving water in the bulk membrane while not hindering ion transport

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References

  1. Park, C. H. et al., Nanocrack-regulated self-humidifying membranes. Nature http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature17634 (2016)

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Authors
  1. Alison Stoddart
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Stoddart, A. Ion-exchange membranes: The cactus effect. Nat Rev Mater 1, 16038 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/natrevmats.2016.38

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