Slippery laboratory pores can now harvest triple the electricity from seawater
Engineers have developed a bio-inspired membrane with slippery channels that can harvest three times more renewable energy from the salt gradients found where river water meets the sea.
Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences have designed a specialized membrane that mimics the water-repellent properties of pitcher plants. By lining tiny pores with a slippery liquid lubricant, they reduced the friction that usually slows down moving ions. This innovation allows ions to flow much faster, generating triple the power density of traditional membranes.
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