Episode 8: Electrochemical device driven with a capacitive ratchet mechanism

In this podcast episode, MRS Bulletin’s Laura Leay interviews Gideon Segev from Tel Aviv University in Israel and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Shane Ardo from the University of California, Irvine about their ratchet-based ion pumps (RBIPs). Consisting of a nanoporous capacitor-like structure, the RBIP drives a flux of charged particles at voltages as low as 50 mV, while redox reactions need at least 1.23 V. Furthermore, the ratchet is selective where ions can be sorted based on their diffusion coefficient. This opens doors for efficient devices for desalination and selective ion separation. This work was published in a recent issue of Nature Materials.