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Bijel Membranes with Tunable Porosity for pH-responsive Microfiltration
Henrik Siegel1, Martin F Haase1
1Van't Hoff Laboratory of Physical and Colloid Chemistry, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Department of Chemistry, Utrecht University, Utrecht, 3584 CH, The Netherlands.
Small (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|July 16, 2025
Summary
We developed scalable, pH-responsive microfiltration membranes using symmetric bicontinuous interfacially jammed emulsion gel (bijel) sheets. These adaptable soft bijel membranes offer tunable permeability for advanced separation applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Chemical Engineering
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Bicontinuous interfacially jammed emulsion gels (bijels) are nanoparticle-stabilized materials with promise for membrane separations.
- Existing bijel membranes often use rigid scaffolds, leading to brittleness and limited adaptability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To fabricate symmetric bijel sheets for scalable production of microfiltration membranes.
- To engineer pH-responsive bijel membranes using stimuli-responsive polymers.
- To analyze the influence of precursor properties on membrane structure and performance.
Main Methods:
- Roll-to-roll solvent transfer induced phase separation (R2R-STrIPS) for bijel sheet fabrication.
- Tuning pore size by adjusting surfactant concentration in the precursor solution.
- Incorporation of stimuli-responsive polymers for dynamic membrane properties.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated fabrication of symmetric bijel sheets with tunable pore sizes.
- Developed pH-responsive bijel membranes exhibiting dynamic permeability control.
- Showcased adaptability and robustness compared to traditional bijel membranes.
Conclusions:
- Symmetric bijel sheets offer a scalable and robust alternative for membrane production.
- pH-responsive bijel membranes provide tunable separation performance.
- These adaptable membranes have potential applications in drug delivery, controlled release, and soft robotics.
