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Butterfly-Shaped Folding Synthons for Designing Superselective and Ultrapermeable Artificial Water Channels
Jie Shen1, Yongqi Zhang1, Yingxue Jin1
1College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, 350116, China.
Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English)
|August 18, 2025
Summary
Researchers developed novel artificial water channels (AWCs) inspired by aquaporins. These butterfly-shaped foldamer channels offer superior water transport and ion exclusion for water purification and desalination.
Area of Science:
- Biomimetic chemistry
- Materials science
- Membrane transport
Background:
- Biological water transport is crucial, mediated by aquaporins (AQPs).
- Artificial water channels (AWCs) offer potential for industrial and environmental applications.
- Emulating AQP functionality in synthetic systems is a key challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and characterize novel butterfly-shaped aromatic foldamer-based AWCs.
- To emulate the high water transport efficiency of natural aquaporins.
- To assess the selectivity and performance of these AWCs for water purification.
Main Methods:
- Design of butterfly-shaped aromatic folding synthons.
- Engineering of helical foldamer architectures for AWCs.
- Comprehensive characterization of water transport rates and ion selectivity.
Main Results:
- Achieved ultrafast water transport rate of 2.6 × 10^10 H2O s^-1 per channel.
- Demonstrated 2.4 times higher efficiency than AQP1.
- Exhibited effective exclusion of salts (NaCl, KCl) and protons.
- Functionality maintained without lipid anchors.
Conclusions:
- Developed a high-performance, bio-inspired AWC using foldamers.
- These AWCs show significant potential as alternatives to natural systems.
- Foldamer-based AWCs represent a next-generation solution for water purification and desalination.
