Issue

Vol. 18 (2026)

High-Density 1D Ionic Wire Arrays for Osmotic Energy Conversion

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-025-01976-x
Jinlin Hao
Key Laboratory of Marine Bio‑Based Fibers of Shandong Province, Qingdao Application Technology Innovation Center of Advanced Fibers and Composites, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, People’s Republic of China
Cuncai Lin
Key Laboratory of Marine Bio‑Based Fibers of Shandong Province, Qingdao Application Technology Innovation Center of Advanced Fibers and Composites, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, People’s Republic of China
Min Zhao
Laboratory of Bio‑Inspired Smart Interfacial Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, People’s Republic of China
Yilin Wang
Key Laboratory of Marine Bio‑Based Fibers of Shandong Province, Qingdao Application Technology Innovation Center of Advanced Fibers and Composites, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, People’s Republic of China
Xingteng Ma
Key Laboratory of Marine Bio‑Based Fibers of Shandong Province, Qingdao Application Technology Innovation Center of Advanced Fibers and Composites, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, People’s Republic of China
Lilong Gao
Key Laboratory of Marine Bio‑Based Fibers of Shandong Province, Qingdao Application Technology Innovation Center of Advanced Fibers and Composites, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, People’s Republic of China
Xin Sui
Key Laboratory of Marine Bio‑Based Fibers of Shandong Province, Qingdao Application Technology Innovation Center of Advanced Fibers and Composites, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, People’s Republic of China
Longcheng Gao
Laboratory of Bio‑Inspired Smart Interfacial Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, People’s Republic of China
Kunyan Sui
Key Laboratory of Marine Bio‑Based Fibers of Shandong Province, Qingdao Application Technology Innovation Center of Advanced Fibers and Composites, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, People’s Republic of China
Lei Jiang
Key Laboratory of Bio‑Inspired Materials and Interfacial Science, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, People’s Republic of China

Corresponding Author: Kunyan Sui

sky@qdu.edu.cn

Nano-Micro Letters, Vol. 18 (2026), Article Number: 125

Abstract

Osmotic energy, existing between the seawater and river water, is a renewable energy source, which can be directly converted into electricity by ion-exchange membranes (IEM). In traditional IEMs, the ion transport channels are formed by nanophase separation of hydrophilic ion carriers and hydrophobic segments. It is difficult to realize high-density ion channels with controlled spatial arrangement and length scale of ion carriers. Herein, we construct high-density 1D ion wires as transmission channels. Through molecular design, hydrophilic imidazole groups and hydrophobic alkyl tails were introduced into the repeat units, which self-assembled into 1D ion transporting core and protecting shell along the main chains. The areal density of the ionic wire arrays is up to ~ 1012 cm−2, which is the highest value. The ionic wires ensure both high ion flux transport and high selectivity, achieving an ultrahigh-power density of 40.5 W m−2 at a 500-fold salinity gradient. Besides, the ionic wire array membrane is well recyclable and antibacterial. The ionic wires provide novel concept for next generation of high-performance membranes.


Highlights:
1 Ultrahigh-Density 1D Ionic Wire Arrays. A high density (~1012 cm−2) of 1D ionic channels is achieved via self-assembly of a homopolymer, enabling simultaneous high ion selectivity and conductivity for efficient osmotic energy conversion.
2 Anti-Swelling Membrane with Superior Performance. The membrane exhibits an ultrahigh ion-exchange capacity (~2.69 meq g−1) yet minimal swelling (<10%) due to hydrophobic alkyl shell protection, leading to a breakthrough power density of 40.5 W m⁻² under a 500-fold salinity gradient.
3 Multifunctional Design with Antibacterial Properties. The imidazole-functionalized membrane not only enhances osmotic energy harvesting but also provides excellent antibacterial performance, offering a novel strategy for advanced separation membranes.

Keywords

One-Dimensional ionic wire Self-assembly High-density ion channels Ultrahigh ion-exchange capacity Anti-swelling
Hao, Jinlin, Cuncai Lin, Min Zhao, Yilin Wang, Xingteng Ma, Lilong Gao, Xin Sui, Longcheng Gao, Kunyan Sui, and Lei Jiang. 2026. “High-Density 1D Ionic Wire Arrays for Osmotic Energy Conversion”. Nano-Micro Letters 18 (January):125. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-025-01976-x.
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