Electric energy generation in single track-etched nanopores

We investigated the efficiency of electrical power generation in single track-etched nanopores by measuring the streaming currents and conductance. Experimental results indicate that both the efficiency and output power depend on the electrolyte concentration and the dimension of the pore. The highest efficiency of 5% was obtained in nanopores with small radii of 31 nm. The surface property of the track-etched nanopores was found very important to the kinetic-electric behaviors in the pores, especially when the electrolyte concentration was low. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics. [DOI: 10.1063/1.3001590].