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Synchronous Engineering for Biomimetic Murray Porous Membranes Using Isocyanate
Xueyuan Liu1,2, Huiqing Wu1,2, Peiyi Wu1,2
1Key Laboratory of Science & Technology of Eco-Textile, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Center for Advanced Low-Dimension Materials, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China.
Nano Letters
|March 28, 2022
Summary
Researchers developed advanced membranes using a novel strategy inspired by plant vascular systems. This method enhances membrane permeability and reduces fouling for efficient separation applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Chemical Engineering
- Biomimetic Design
Background:
- Nonsolvent-induced phase separation (NIPS) membranes often exhibit low permeability and high fouling.
- Rational design and practical optimization of NIPS membranes remain challenging.
- Biomimetic approaches offer potential solutions for advanced membrane performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a hierarchical membrane with enhanced permselectivity and durability.
- To overcome limitations of conventional NIPS membrane preparation.
- To leverage biomimicry for improved membrane functionality.
Main Methods:
- A straightforward strategy using isocyanate as a multifunctional additive in NIPS.
- Synchronous engineering of membrane hierarchy (porosity and components) via phase separation and chemical reaction.
- Inspired by the Murray network structure found in vascular plants.
Main Results:
- The developed hierarchical membrane demonstrates superior water permeance (334 L/m²·h·bar).
- Achieved high protein retention (>98%) and excellent antifouling properties (flux recovery ratio ~98%).
- Isocyanate effectively regulated phase separation, acted as a blowing agent, cross-linker, and functionalization anchor.
Conclusions:
- The proposed strategy offers a versatile pathway for enhancing NIPS-made membrane performance.
- Biomimetic inspiration from the Murray network provides a novel approach to membrane design.
- This work presents a practical and effective method for creating high-performance separation membranes.
