High selectivity framework polymer membranes chemically tuned towards fast anion conduction

Abstract Studying ion transport in the interaction confinement regime has important implications for membrane design and advanced electrochemical devices. A key example is the rapid-charging capability of aqueous organic redox flow batteries, enabled by near-frictionless Na+/K+ transport within tria...

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Main Authors: Junkai Fang, Guozhen Zhang, Marc-Antoni Goulet, Peipei Zuo, Yu Zhou, Hui Li, Jun Jiang, Michael D. Guiver, Zhengjin Yang, Tongwen Xu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-04-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58638-0
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author Junkai Fang
Guozhen Zhang
Marc-Antoni Goulet
Peipei Zuo
Yu Zhou
Hui Li
Jun Jiang
Michael D. Guiver
Zhengjin Yang
Tongwen Xu
author_facet Junkai Fang
Guozhen Zhang
Marc-Antoni Goulet
Peipei Zuo
Yu Zhou
Hui Li
Jun Jiang
Michael D. Guiver
Zhengjin Yang
Tongwen Xu
author_sort Junkai Fang
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Studying ion transport in the interaction confinement regime has important implications for membrane design and advanced electrochemical devices. A key example is the rapid-charging capability of aqueous organic redox flow batteries, enabled by near-frictionless Na+/K+ transport within triazine framework membranes. However, achieving similar breakthroughs for devices using anions (e.g., Cl-) is challenging due to the suppression of anion transport under confinement, known as the charge asymmetry effect. We present a series of anion-selective covalent triazine framework membranes with comparable densities of subnanometer ion transport channels and identical micropore size distributions, which help to overcome the charge asymmetry effect and promote fast anion conduction. We demonstrate that regulating the charge distribution in the membrane frameworks reduces the energy barrier for anion transport, resulting in nearly doubled Cl- conductivity and adding almost no additional energy barrier for F- transport. This membrane enables an aqueous organic redox flow battery using Cl- ions to operate at high current densities, exceeding battery performance demonstrated by current membranes. These findings could benefit various electrochemical devices and inspire single-species selectivity in separation membranes.
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spelling doaj-art-0f899508622c4e648ef30eb02260e2a92025-08-20T03:04:51ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-04-0116111210.1038/s41467-025-58638-0High selectivity framework polymer membranes chemically tuned towards fast anion conductionJunkai Fang0Guozhen Zhang1Marc-Antoni Goulet2Peipei Zuo3Yu Zhou4Hui Li5Jun Jiang6Michael D. Guiver7Zhengjin Yang8Tongwen Xu9Key Laboratory of Precision and Intelligent Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of ChinaHefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of ChinaDepartment of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Concordia UniversityKey Laboratory of Precision and Intelligent Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of ChinaHefei National Research Center for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of ChinaKey Laboratory of Precision and Intelligent Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of ChinaKey Laboratory of Precision and Intelligent Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of ChinaState Key Laboratory of Engines, School of Mechanical Engineering, Tianjin UniversityKey Laboratory of Precision and Intelligent Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of ChinaKey Laboratory of Precision and Intelligent Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of ChinaAbstract Studying ion transport in the interaction confinement regime has important implications for membrane design and advanced electrochemical devices. A key example is the rapid-charging capability of aqueous organic redox flow batteries, enabled by near-frictionless Na+/K+ transport within triazine framework membranes. However, achieving similar breakthroughs for devices using anions (e.g., Cl-) is challenging due to the suppression of anion transport under confinement, known as the charge asymmetry effect. We present a series of anion-selective covalent triazine framework membranes with comparable densities of subnanometer ion transport channels and identical micropore size distributions, which help to overcome the charge asymmetry effect and promote fast anion conduction. We demonstrate that regulating the charge distribution in the membrane frameworks reduces the energy barrier for anion transport, resulting in nearly doubled Cl- conductivity and adding almost no additional energy barrier for F- transport. This membrane enables an aqueous organic redox flow battery using Cl- ions to operate at high current densities, exceeding battery performance demonstrated by current membranes. These findings could benefit various electrochemical devices and inspire single-species selectivity in separation membranes.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58638-0
spellingShingle Junkai Fang
Guozhen Zhang
Marc-Antoni Goulet
Peipei Zuo
Yu Zhou
Hui Li
Jun Jiang
Michael D. Guiver
Zhengjin Yang
Tongwen Xu
High selectivity framework polymer membranes chemically tuned towards fast anion conduction
Nature Communications
title High selectivity framework polymer membranes chemically tuned towards fast anion conduction
title_full High selectivity framework polymer membranes chemically tuned towards fast anion conduction
title_fullStr High selectivity framework polymer membranes chemically tuned towards fast anion conduction
title_full_unstemmed High selectivity framework polymer membranes chemically tuned towards fast anion conduction
title_short High selectivity framework polymer membranes chemically tuned towards fast anion conduction
title_sort high selectivity framework polymer membranes chemically tuned towards fast anion conduction
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58638-0
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