An Electroactive Filter with Tunable Porosity Based on Glycolated Polythiophene

Abstract

The porosity of filters is typically fixed; thus, complex purification processes require application of multiple specialized filters. In contrast, smart filters with controllable and tunable properties enable dynamic separation in a single setup. Herein, an electroactive filter with controllable pore size is demonstrated. The electroactive filter is based on a metal mesh coated with a polythiophene polymer with ethylene glycol sidechains (p(g3T2)) that exhibit unprecedented voltage-driven volume changes. By optimizing the polymer coating on the mesh, controllable porosity during electrochemical addressing is achieved. The pores reversibly open and close, with a dynamic range of more than 95%, corresponding to over 30 μm change of pores’ widths. Furthermore, the pores’ widths could be defined by applied potential with a 10 μm resolution. From among hundreds of pores from different samples, about 90% of the pores could be closed completely, while only less than 1% are inactive. Finally, the electroactive filter is used to control the flow of a dye, highlighting the potential for flow control and smart filtration applications.