Collaborative Research: Bioinspired liquid-gated membranes reduce biofouling

超滤膜被认为是最先进的水处理材料，因为它们可以有效地去除饮用水中的颗粒物和水媒病原体。不幸的是，随着时间的推移，膜会被污染，需要清洗，这增加了水处理过程的停机时间。提高膜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层来创造一个超光滑的表面，使昆虫滑进它的杯子里。受水罐厂的启发，该研究项目将开发一种新的膜设计方法，减少污染物的粘附性，从而使膜能够长期运行。通过适当地选择在膜上提供薄保护层的稳定的“门控液体”，可以创建快速开启和关闭的可逆孔闸门，以实现液体传输，同时降低污物附着的能力。此外，当压力释放时，浇注液体会重新填充毛孔，清除毛孔内的污染物，并实现流量恢复。除了提高净水膜的功能外，了解材料-生物界面将有助于设计用于广泛分离的新膜，包括食品加工、血液过滤和蛋白质纯化。这项研究的一个关键组成部分是提供一个有经验的平台，让女性和代表不足的群体有信心和工具成为成功的工程师。这项研究项目将设计高通量液体门控膜，在不使用杀菌剂或物理清洗的情况下抵抗生物污染。该方法将不同粘度的无毒全氟聚醚液体与氟化聚醚超滤膜系统地配对，制成液门，从而建立连续、稳定的液门。从纯水通量实验中获得的数据作为跨膜压力的函数，将确定膜的性能和在线液门再生能力。这些实验数据将以理论模型和基于芯片的模型为基准。将使用有机和生物污染物来确定液门膜的生物耐污染特性。这项研究项目提供了液体门控膜的结构和性能之间的关键转换，并使用生物启发材料方法来减少微生物附着到膜上，同时实现通量恢复的简易机制。这一研究项目将为马萨诸塞大学和缅因州大学的本科生和研究生阶段的妇女和代表性不足群体带来许多新的研究经验。该团队将合作开发、试点并向初中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。该项目由分子分离计划和既定的激励竞争性研究计划(EPSCoR)共同资助。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势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.