Characterization of a Membrane-Based, Electrochemically Driven Pumping System Using Aqueous Electrolyte Solutions

Electrokinetic flow provides a mechanism for a variety of fluid pumping schemes. The design and characterization of an electrochemically driven pump that utilizes porous carbon electrodes, iodide/triiodide redox electrolytes, and Nafion membranes is described. Fluid pumping by the cell is reversible and controlled by the cell current. Chronopotentiometry experiments indicate that the total available fluid that can be pumped in a single electrolysis without gas evolution is determined solely by the initial concentration of electrolyte and the applied current. The magnitude of the fluid flow at a given current is determined by the nature of the cation in the electrolyte and by the water absorption properties of the Nafion membrane. For 1 M aqueous electrolytes, pumping rates ranging from 1 to 14 μL/min were obtained for current densities of 10−30 mA/cm2 of membrane area. Molar volume changes for the I3 -/I- redox couple and for the alkali cation migration contribute little to the observed volumetric flow rates; the magnitude of the flow is dominated by the migration-induced flow of water.