Open AccessAn Electroactive Filter with Tunable Porosity Based on Glycolated Polythiophene
Author(s) -
Gladisch Johannes,
Oikonomou Vasileios K.,
Moser Maximilian,
Griggs Sophie,
McCulloch Iain,
Berggren Magnus,
Stavrinidou Eleni
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
small science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2688-4046
DOI - 10.1002/smsc.202100113
Subject(s) - materials science , porosity , polythiophene , filtration (mathematics) , microporous material , filter (signal processing) , polymer , coating , nanotechnology , chemical engineering , conductive polymer , composite material , computer science , statistics , mathematics , engineering , computer vision
The porosity of filters is typically fixed; thus, complex purification processes require application of multiple specialized filters. In contrast, smart filters with controllable and tunable properties enable dynamic separation in a single setup. Herein, an electroactive filter with controllable pore size is demonstrated. The electroactive filter is based on a metal mesh coated with a polythiophene polymer with ethylene glycol sidechains (p(g3T2)) that exhibit unprecedented voltage‐driven volume changes. By optimizing the polymer coating on the mesh, controllable porosity during electrochemical addressing is achieved. The pores reversibly open and close, with a dynamic range of more than 95%, corresponding to over 30 μm change of pores’ widths. Furthermore, the pores’ widths could be defined by applied potential with a 10 μm resolution. From among hundreds of pores from different samples, about 90% of the pores could be closed completely, while only less than 1% are inactive. Finally, the electroactive filter is used to control the flow of a dye, highlighting the potential for flow control and smart filtration applications.