From radial to unidirectional water pumping in zeta-potential modulated Nafion nanostructures

María J. Esplandiu (), David Reguera, Daniel Romero-Guzmán, Amparo M. Gallardo-Moreno and Jordi Fraxedas
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María J. Esplandiu: Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), CSIC and BIST, Campus UAB
David Reguera: Universitat de Barcelona
Daniel Romero-Guzmán: University of Extremadura, Department of Applied Physics and University Institute of Biomedical Research (INUBE)
Amparo M. Gallardo-Moreno: University of Extremadura, Department of Applied Physics and University Institute of Biomedical Research (INUBE)
Jordi Fraxedas: Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), CSIC and BIST, Campus UAB

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Chemically propelled micropumps are promising wireless systems to autonomously drive fluid flows for many applications. However, many of these systems are activated by nocuous chemical fuels, cannot operate at high salt concentrations, or have difficulty for controlling flow directionality. In this work we report on a self-driven polymer micropump fueled by salt which can trigger both radial and unidirectional fluid flows. The micropump is based on the cation-exchanger Nafion, which produces chemical gradients and local electric fields capable to trigger interfacial electroosmotic flows. Unidirectional pumping is predicted by simulations and achieved experimentally by nanostructuring Nafion into microarrays with a fine tune modulation of surrounding surface zeta potentials. Nafion micropumps work in a wide range of salt concentrations, are reusable, and can be fueled by different salt cations. We demonstrate that they work with the common water-contaminant cadmium, using the own capture of this ion as fuel to drive fluid pumping. Thus, this system has potential for efficient and fast water purification strategies for environmental remediation. Unidirectional Nafion pumps also hold promise for effective analyte delivery or preconcentration for (bio)sensing assays.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30554-7

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