Abstract
The development of the bionic water channel aims to replace the possible use of natural aquaporins (AQPs) for water purification, while retaining the ability of natural AQPs to carry out ultra-fast water transport and repel ions. Carbon nanotube channels (CNTCs) are a convenient membrane-based model system for studying nano-fluidic transport that replicates a number of key structural features of biological membrane channels. In this report, we describe protocols for CNTCs synthesis by ultrasound-assisted cutting of long CNTs in the presence of lipid amphiphiles. CNTCs have a similar thickness to the lipid membrane and high affinity for it. The ultra-short high-affinity CNTCs have high permeability and ion selectivity. The water permeability of the CNTCs is 1936 ± 123 μm/s, which is 2.3 times that of natural AQPs, and completely rejects salt ions. In general, carbon nanotubes represent a multifunctional nanopore building module for creating high-ranking functional bionic materials. This study has reference significance for the design of new bionic water channel and the actual development of bionic membrane based on CNTs.
Highlights
The shortage of freshwater resources poses a huge threat to the sustainable development of human society
In order was de order to diminish the contamination ofand thekept sample, oxidation temperature to diminish the contamination of the sample, the oxidation temperature was determined termined by using the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) system to remove impurities in the carbon nanotubes (CNTs) material
Novel bionic water channel material Carbon nanotube channels (CNTCs) with high-affinity were prepared by cutting carbon nanotubes with precursor active agent on the surface
Summary
The shortage of freshwater resources poses a huge threat to the sustainable development of human society. Natural AQPs have a special pore structure with high selectivity and permeability to water, and their characteristics provide new insights for the construction of highly selective and permeability water treatment bionic membranes. Imitating the structure of natural AQPs to build a bionic water channel can solve the problem of deactivation and poor selectivity of natural AQPs and develop new water purification materials [18,19]. Developing bionic water channels with special pore structures, specific selectivity, and highly efficient water permeability to imitate or replace. The studies of CNTs water channel mostly focus on imitating the form of pores, but few on the CNTs’ preparation length, the influence of CNTs’ length on water permeability, and their compatibility with a lipid membrane environment. This paper provides unique insights and ideas for designing a new type of bionic water channel
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