Abstract
We experimentally characterize the ionic conduction of single and multipore nanoporous membranes in aprotic organic electrolytes. To this end, soft-etched (SE) membranes with pore diameters in the nanometer range and track-etched (TE) membranes with pore diameters in the tens of nanometers range are investigated. In aqueous conditions, the membrane ionic conduction rates follow the same trend of the bulk solution conductivities. However, the ionic transport through the narrow SE-nanopores dramatically decreases in aprotic electrolytes due to the formation of solvated metal cations and their adsorption on the pore surface. The current-voltage recordings of single conical nanopores in aprotic electrolyte solutions with different water mole fractions reveal that the solvated metal ion (M) species [M−(solvent)4]+ formed in acetonitrile solvent are more tightly bounded to the pore walls compared with the cationic chelates obtained in propylene carbonate solvent. The basic findings reported here should be of interest for ionic/molecular nanofiltration processes in non-aqueous conditions as well as for moisture sensitive and energy storage nanofluidic devices.
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