Nanomaterials-Based Nanochannel Membrane for Osmotic Energy Harvesting

Abstract

Harvesting clean and renewable osmotic energy through reverse electrodialysis (RED) technology offers a promising solution to address energy crisis problems. The development of nanochannel membranes constructed from diverse nanomaterials plays a crucial role in enabling efficient osmotic energy conversion. In this review, first an overview of the mechanism of the RED process is provided and the physicochemical properties of nanomaterials, covering 0D, 1D, and 2D nanomaterials, and the osmotic conversion performances of the constructed nanochannel membranes. Then, the relationship between chemical properties and structural features of nanochannel membranes is specifically highlighted, including surface charge property and geometric structure, and osmotic energy conversion efficiency. Additionally, the introduction of external stimuli, such as light, temperature, pH, external pressure, and changes in electrolyte environments, are also discussed. Finally, the research directions and future challenges in the field of osmotic energy harvesting using nanochannel membranes based on nanomaterials are presented. The focus is on refining the osmotic conversion mechanism, as well as optimizing the structure design.