Artificial light-driven ion pump for photoelectric energy conversion

Kai Xiao (), Lu Chen, Ruotian Chen, Tobias Heil, Saul Daniel Cruz Lemus, Fengtao Fan, Liping Wen, Lei Jiang and Markus Antonietti
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Kai Xiao: Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces
Lu Chen: Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces
Ruotian Chen: Dalian Institute of Chemical Physic (DICP)
Tobias Heil: Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces
Saul Daniel Cruz Lemus: Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces
Fengtao Fan: Dalian Institute of Chemical Physic (DICP)
Liping Wen: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Lei Jiang: Beihang University
Markus Antonietti: Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces

Nature Communications, 2019, vol. 10, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract Biological light-driven ion pumps move ions against a concentration gradient to create a membrane potential, thus converting sunlight energy directly into an osmotic potential. Here, we describe an artificial light-driven ion pump system in which a carbon nitride nanotube membrane can drive ions thermodynamically uphill against an up to 5000-fold concentration gradient by illumination. The separation of electrons and holes in the membrane under illumination results in a transmembrane potential which is thought to be the foundation for the pumping phenomenon. When used for harvesting solar energy, a sustained open circuit voltage of 550 mV and a current density of 2.4 μA/cm2 can reliably be generated, which can be further scaled up through series and parallel circuits of multiple membranes. The ion transport based photovoltaic system proposed here offers a roadmap for the development of devices by using simple, cheap, and stable polymeric carbon nitride.

Date: 2019
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-08029-5

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