"Learning the local concentrations of precursor ions... in differently functionalized nanopores can improve our understanding of crucial catalytic reactions," says Professor Young-Shin Jun, highlighting the significance of a recent discovery.
In the United States, a team at Washington University in St. Louis has developed a method to precisely control contaminants within nanopores. This breakthrough, achieved in 2024, has significant implications for desalination, carbon dioxide storage, and catalytic processes.
The researchers, led by Young-Shin Jun and Srikanth Singamaneni, used plasmonic nanosensors to measure concentrations of protons and ion contaminants. Their findings reveal how chemical functional groups influence ion concentration and pH inside nanopores.
The team discovered that pristine nanopores enhance anion concentration while suppressing cation concentration, contrasting with hydrophilic nanopores where pH depends on the acidity of chemical functional groups. Heavy metal concentrations are also strongly affected by chemical interactions.
"This finding will help us determine how to make materials that can be used on a broader scale," Jun explains. The ability to control nanopore chemistry opens doors to designing better materials for various applications.
Singamaneni adds, "Integrating functionalized porous materials with plasmonic nanosensors is a universal and powerful approach to understanding the unusual physical, chemical and biological properties of nanoporous materials." This new insight promises to revolutionize water treatment and other fields.