Collaborative Research: Bioinspired liquid-gated membranes reduce biofouling

超滤膜被认为是水处理的“最先进”材料，因为它们能有效地去除饮用水中的微粒和水传播病原体。不幸的是，随着时间的推移，膜被污染并需要清洗，这增加了水处理过程的停机时间。提高膜的使用寿命对于降低生产清洁水所需的成本和能源至关重要。在自然界中，猪笼草使用一层薄薄的固定液体层来创造一个超滑的表面，使昆虫滑进它的杯子里。受猪笼草的启发，该研究项目将开发一种新的膜设计方法，减少污染物的附着，从而使膜长期运行。通过正确选择一种稳定的“浇注液”，在膜上提供一层薄薄的保护层，可以创建可逆的孔门，快速打开和关闭，使液体运输，同时减少污染物的附着能力。此外，当压力释放时，浇注液重新填充孔隙，排出被困在孔隙中的污染物并使通量恢复。除了提高水净化膜的功能外，了解材料-生物学界面将有助于为广泛分离的新膜的设计提供信息，包括食品加工，血液过滤和蛋白质净化。这项研究的一个关键组成部分是提供一个体验平台，为女性和代表性不足的群体提供成为成功工程师的信心和工具。该研究项目将设计出高通量液体门控膜，这种膜可以在不使用杀菌剂或物理清洗的情况下抵抗生物污染。该方法采用不同粘度的无毒全氟聚醚液体与含氟聚醚砜超滤膜系统配对制备液体门控膜，以建立连续、稳定的液体门控膜。从纯水通量实验中获得的数据作为跨膜压力的函数将建立膜的性能和在线液门再生能力。这些实验数据将与理论模型和基于芯片的模型进行基准测试。采用有机污染物和生物污染物，建立了液体门控膜的抗生物污染性能。该研究项目提供了液体门控膜的结构和特性之间的关键转换，以及生物启发材料方法的使用，以减少微生物对膜的附着，同时实现通量恢复的简单机制。这项研究项目将为马萨诸塞大学和缅因大学的本科生和研究生阶段的女性和代表性不足的群体带来许多新的研究经验。该团队将共同开发、试点并向中学生广泛传播一个名为“生物启发的清洁水解决方案”的教育模块。该项目由分子分离项目和促进竞争性研究的既定项目（EPSCoR）共同资助。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Ultrafiltration membranes are considered the 'state-of-the-art' material for water treatment, because they effectively remove particulates and waterborne pathogens from drinking water. Unfortunately, over time, membranes become fouled and require cleaning, which increases water treatment process downtime. Improving membrane lifetime is vital to decreasing the cost and energy required to produce clean water. In nature, the Nepenthes Pitcher Plant uses a thin, immobilized liquid layer to create an ultra-slippery surface which causes insects to slide into its cup. Inspired by the pitcher plant, this research project will develop a new approach to membrane design that reduces the adhesion of foulants and thereby enables the membrane's long-term operation. By properly selecting a stable 'gating liquid' that provides a thin protective layer on the membrane, reversible pore gates are created that quickly open and shut to enable liquid transport while reducing the ability of foulants to attach. Furthermore, when pressure is released, the gating liquid refills the pores, dislodging contaminants trapped within the pores and enabling flux recovery. In addition to improving the functionality of membranes for water purification, understanding the materials-biology interface will help inform the design of new membranes for a broad range of separations, including food processing, blood filtration, and protein purification. A key component of this research is providing an experiential platform to give women and underrepresented groups the confidence and tools to become successful engineers. This research project will engineer high-flux liquid-gated membranes that resist biofouling without the use of biocides or physical cleaning. The approach employs fabricating liquid-gated membranes using non-toxic perfluoropolyether liquids with various viscosities systematically paired with fluorinated polyethersulfone ultrafiltration membranes to establish a continuous, stable liquid gate. Data acquired from pure water flux experiments as a function of transmembrane pressures will establish the membrane's performance and in-line liquid-gate regeneration capabilities. This experimental data will be benchmarked against both theoretical and chip-based models. The biofouling resistance properties of liquid-gated membranes will be established using organic and biological foulants. This research project provides a critical translation between the structure and properties of liquid-gated membranes and the use of a bioinspired materials approach to reduce the attachment of microbes to membranes while enabling a facile mechanism for flux recovery. This research project will result in numerous new research experiences for women and underrepresented groups both at the undergraduate and graduate level at the University of Massachusetts and the University of Maine. Collaboratively, this team will develop, pilot, and broadly disseminate an educational module called, 'Bioinspired Clean Water Solutions' to middle and high school students. This project is jointly funded by the Molecular Separations program and the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.