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<p>Directed ion transport in liquid electrolyte solutions underlies many phenomena in natural and industrial settings. While nature has evolved structures that drive continuous ion flow without Faradaic redox reactions, establishing this process in synthetic systems has been challenging. Here we report an ion pump that drives aqueous ions against a force using a capacitive ratchet mechanism independent of redox reactions. Modulation of an electric potential between thin metallic layers on either face of a nanoporous alumina wafer immersed in solution results in persistent voltages and ionic currents. This occurs due to the nonlinear capacitive nature of electric double layers, whose repeated charging and discharging sustains a continuous ion flux. Using this approach, we demonstrate ratchet-driven electrodialysis that reaches a 50% decrease in the conductivity of the solution in a dilution cell. These ratchet-based ion pumps can enable continuous desalination and selective ion separation using an electrically powered device with no moving parts.</p>

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A nanoporous capacitive electrochemical ratchet for continuous ion separations

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月13日

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  • Rylan Kautz,
  • Alon Herman,
  • Ethan J. Heffernan,
  • Keren Shushan Alshochat,
  • Eden Grossman,
  • Rahul Saxena,
  • Camila Muñetón,
  • David Larson,
  • Joel W. Ager III,
  • Francesca M. Toma,
  • Shane Ardo,
  • Gideon Segev

摘要

Directed ion transport in liquid electrolyte solutions underlies many phenomena in natural and industrial settings. While nature has evolved structures that drive continuous ion flow without Faradaic redox reactions, establishing this process in synthetic systems has been challenging. Here we report an ion pump that drives aqueous ions against a force using a capacitive ratchet mechanism independent of redox reactions. Modulation of an electric potential between thin metallic layers on either face of a nanoporous alumina wafer immersed in solution results in persistent voltages and ionic currents. This occurs due to the nonlinear capacitive nature of electric double layers, whose repeated charging and discharging sustains a continuous ion flux. Using this approach, we demonstrate ratchet-driven electrodialysis that reaches a 50% decrease in the conductivity of the solution in a dilution cell. These ratchet-based ion pumps can enable continuous desalination and selective ion separation using an electrically powered device with no moving parts.