Nanowood: A Unique Natural Nanomaterial That Can Be Obtained Using Household Chemicals

Abstract

At the nanometer scale, electrolyte solutions behave differently compared to their bulk counterparts. This phenomenon forms the basis for the field of nanofluidics, which is dedicated to studying the transport of fluids within and around objects with dimensions of less than 100 nm. Despite the increasing importance of nanofluidics for a wide range of chemical and biochemical applications, the ability to study this field in undergraduate laboratories remains limited due to challenges associated with producing suitable nanoscale objects. This article outlines a straightforward procedure, using easily accessible materials and chemical reagents, to create nanofluidic membranes, called nanowood, containing channels with diameters less than 100 nm. We describe the fabrication process of nanofluidic channels in wood and demonstrate the presence of these nanochannels based on conductance measurements using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.