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Vol. 18 (2026)

Resting-Potential-Inspired Solid-State Iontronic Osmotic Power Source Enabled by Polarized MXene

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-026-02310-9
Ziqi Ren
School of Physics and Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics (WNLO), Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Wuhan 430074, People’s Republic of China
Long Zhang
School of Physics and Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics (WNLO), Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Wuhan 430074, People’s Republic of China
Qixiang Zhang
School of Physics and Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics (WNLO), Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Wuhan 430074, People’s Republic of China
Jianyu Yin
School of Physics and Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics (WNLO), Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Wuhan 430074, People’s Republic of China
Mingfang Deng
School of Physics and Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics (WNLO), Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Wuhan 430074, People’s Republic of China
Xubin Zhou
School of Physics and Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics (WNLO), Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Wuhan 430074, People’s Republic of China
Qianqian Yao
School of Physics and Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics (WNLO), Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Wuhan 430074, People’s Republic of China
Songzhan Li
School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center of Textile Industrial Chain Generic Technology, Wuhan Textile University (WTU), Hubei 430200, People’s Republic of China
Yihua Gao
School of Physics and Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics (WNLO), Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Wuhan 430074, People’s Republic of China
Zhen Zhang
Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Hefei 230026, People’s Republic of China
Nishuang Liu
School of Physics and Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics (WNLO), Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), Wuhan 430074, People’s Republic of China

Corresponding Author: Nishuang Liu

nishuang_liu@foxmail.com

Nano-Micro Letters, Vol. 18 (2026), Article Number: 449

Abstract

Bio-inspired osmotic energy has shown great potential as a portable energy source or artificial electrical organ for green and sustainable power generation. However, ion-electron decoupling problem and complex structures resulting from over-engineering often limit output power and portability. Here, we propose a comprehensive design strategy that exploits the unique ion-electron coupling properties of polarized MXene to mimic transmembrane ion transport at resting potential, thereby developing an all-MXene solid-state iontronics osmotic power source (IOPS). Density functional theory calculations and multiscale characterizations reveal that its operating mechanism is based on the diffusion dynamics of K+ under a concentration gradient and the Fermi level difference between two polarized MXene electrodes. The device achieves an initial open-circuit voltage exceeding 0.57 V and a high volumetric power density of 1030 μW cm−3. The highly integrated architecture of the IOPS module allows for straightforward scalability and reconfiguration to power commercial electronic devices. This work integrates the principles of biological ion gradients with emerging iontronics, providing a solid-state iontronic design strategy for compact osmotic power source. Here, taking the natural resting potential as a design blueprint, we report a solid-state iontronic osmotic energy generator, termed IOPS, which fully leverages the ion–electron coupling effect in polarized MXene. Its mechanism arises from the diffusion kinetics of K+ under an ion gradient and the Fermi level difference between two distinct polarized MXenes at the positive and negative electrodes. An initial open-circuit voltage exceeding 0.57 V and a high volumetric power density of 1030 μW cm-3 were achieved. This work integrates the fundamental principles of biological ion gradients with emerging iontronics technology, offering a paradigm for the practical deployment of osmotic energy.


Highlights:
1 The solid-state architecture of iontronics osmotic power source (IOPS) significantly enhances volumetric power density and eliminates risks associated with leakage and drying up.
2 By making deep use of the ion-electron coupling properties of MXene, the highly integrated electrode design enables the IOPS device to be assembled into a compact osmotic power source using only three building blocks.
3 IOPS arrays can efficiently power commercial electronic devices and show great potential in portable, responsive power systems.

Keywords

Osmotic energy Resting potential Polarized MXene Solid-state
Ren, Ziqi, Long Zhang, Qixiang Zhang, Jianyu Yin, Mingfang Deng, Xubin Zhou, Qianqian Yao, Songzhan Li, Yihua Gao, Zhen Zhang, and Nishuang Liu. 2026. “Resting-Potential-Inspired Solid-State Iontronic Osmotic Power Source Enabled by Polarized MXene”. Nano-Micro Letters 18 (July):449. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-026-02310-9.
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