Metal-coordinated polybenzimidazole membranes with preferential K+ transport

Jine Wu, Chenyi Liao, Tianyu Li, Jing Zhou, Linjuan Zhang, Jian-Qiang Wang, Guohui Li () and Xianfeng Li ()
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Jine Wu: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Chenyi Liao: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Tianyu Li: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Jing Zhou: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Linjuan Zhang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Jian-Qiang Wang: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Guohui Li: Chinese Academy of Sciences
Xianfeng Li: Chinese Academy of Sciences

Nature Communications, 2023, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract Membranes with fast and selective ion transport are essential for separations and electrochemical energy conversion and storage devices. Metal-coordinated polymers are promising for fabricating ion-conducting membranes with molecular channels, however, the structures and ion transport channels remain poorly understood. Here, we reported mechanistic insights into the structures of metal-ion coordinated polybenzimidazole membranes and the preferential K+ transport. Molecular dynamics simulations suggested that coordination between metal ions and polybenzimidazole expanded the free volume, forming subnanometre molecular channels. The combined physical confinement in nanosized channels and electrostatic interactions of membranes resulted in a high K+ transference number up to 0.9 even in concentrated salt and alkaline solutions. The zinc-coordinated polybenzimidazole membrane enabled fast transport of charge carriers as well as suppressed water migration in an alkaline zinc-iron flow battery, enabling the battery to operate stably for over 340 hours. This study provided an alternative strategy to regulate the ion transport properties of polymer membranes by tuning polymer chain architectures via metal ion coordination.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36711-w

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