Protocol for preparation of solid-state multipore osmotic power generators

Makusu Tsutsui; Kazumichi Yokota; Iat Wai Leong; Yuhui He; Tomoji Kawai

doi:10.1016/j.xpro.2023.102227

Protocol for preparation of solid-state multipore osmotic power generators

STAR Protoc. 2023 Apr 20;4(2):102227. doi: 10.1016/j.xpro.2023.102227. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Makusu Tsutsui¹, Kazumichi Yokota², Iat Wai Leong³, Yuhui He⁴, Tomoji Kawai⁵

Affiliations

¹ The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research, Osaka University, 8-1 Mihogaoka, Ibaraki, Osaka 5267-0047, Japan. Electronic address: tsutsui@sanken.osaka-u.ac.jp.
² National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Takamatsu, Kagawa 761-0395, Japan.
³ The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research, Osaka University, 8-1 Mihogaoka, Ibaraki, Osaka 5267-0047, Japan.
⁴ Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, School of Integrated Circuits, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430000, China.
⁵ The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research, Osaka University, 8-1 Mihogaoka, Ibaraki, Osaka 5267-0047, Japan. Electronic address: kawai@sanken.osaka-u.ac.jp.

Abstract

Nanopore is an emerging energy-harvesting device that can create electricity directly from salt solutions. Here, we present a protocol for the preparation and structure optimization of solid-state multipore osmotic power generators. We describe steps for sculpting multiple pores at well-defined positions in a thin SiNx membrane using electron-beam lithography. We also detail an imprinting technique to form polydimethylsiloxane blocks with fluidic channels bonded to the multipore membrane. This approach facilitates repeated liquid-exchange processes involved in ionic current measurements. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Tsutsui et al.¹.

Keywords: Energy; Material sciences; Physics.