Low-fouling Properties Research Articles

Surface Charge-Switchable Antifouling Block Copolymer with Bacteriostatic Properties.

Zwitterionic polymers are an emerging family of effective, low-fouling materials that can withstand unintended interactions with biological systems while exhibiting enhanced activity in bacterial matrix deterioration and biofilm eradication. Herein, we modularly synthesized an amphiphilic block copolymer, ZABCP, featuring potential bacteriostatic properties composed of a charge-switchable polyzwitterionic segment and a redox-sensitive pendant disulfide-labeled polymethacrylate block. The leucine-appended polyzwitterionic segment with alternatively positioned cationic amine and anionic carboxylate functionalities undergoes charge alterations (+ve → 0 → -ve) on pH variation. By introducing appropriate amphiphilicity, ZABCP forms distinct vesicles with redox-sensitive bilayer membranes and zwitterionic shielding coronas, enabling switching of surface charge. ZABCP vesicles exhibit 180 ± 20 nm hydrodynamic diameter, and its charge switching behavior in response to pH was confirmed by the change of zeta potential value from -23 to +36 mV. The binding interaction between ZABCP vesicles with lysozyme and pepsin proteins strengthens when the surface charge shifts from neutral (pH 7.4) to either anionic or cationic. This surface-charge-switchable phenomenon paves the way for implementing cationic ZABCP vesicles for bacterial cell growth inhibition, which is shown by the pronounced transition of cellular morphology, including clustering, aggregation, or elongation as well as membrane disruption for both Bacillus subtilis (Gram-positive) and Escherichia coli (Gram-negative). Such enhanced bacteriostatic activity could be ascribed to a strong electrostatic interaction between cationic vesicles and negatively charged bacterial membranes, leading to cell membrane disruption. Overall, this study provides a tailor-made approach to adopt low-fouling properties and potential bacteriostatic activity using zwitterionic polymers through precise control of pH.

Poly(2-methoxyethyl acrylate)-grafted microfiltration membranes exhibiting low-fouling properties in the presence of salt species

This study successfully demonstrated that membranes whose surfaces and pore walls were modified with poly(2-methoxyethyl acrylate) (PMEA) exhibit low-fouling properties against organic substances even in the presence of salt species.

Low-Fouling and Antibacterial Polymer Brushes via Surface-Initiated Polymerization of a Mixed Zwitterionic and Cationic Monomer.

The use of surface-grafted polymer brushes with combined low-fouling and antibacterial functionality is an attractive strategy to fight biofilm formation. This report describes a new styrene derivative combining a quaternary ammonium group with a sulfobetaine group in one monomer. Surface-initiated polymerization of this monomer on titanium and a polyethylene (PE) base material gave bifunctional polymer brush layers. Grafting was achieved via surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization from titanium or heat-induced free-radical polymerization from plasma-activated PE. Both techniques gave charged polymer layers with a thickness of over 750 nm, as confirmed by ToF-SIMS-SPM measurements. The chemical composition of the brush polymers was confirmed by XPS and FT-IR analysis. The surface charge, characterized by the ζ potential, was positive at different pH values, and the number of solvent-accessible excess ammonium groups was found to be ∼1016 N+/cm2. This led to strong antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria that was superior to a structurally related contact-active polymeric quaternary ammonium brush. In addition to this antibacterial activity, good low-fouling properties of the dual-function polymer brushes against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria were found. This dual functionality is most likely due to the combination of antibacterial quaternary ammonium groups with antifouling sulfobetaines. The combination of both groups in one monomer allows the preparation of bifunctional brush polymers with operationally simple polymerization techniques.

Poly(2-oxazoline)-derived star-shaped polymers as potential materials for biomedical applications: A review

Poly(2-oxazoline)s (POx) are a unique class of polymers with an enormous potential for the preparation of functional materials. Their synthesis via the cationic ring-opening polymerisation (CROP) of 2-oxazolines enables the design of tailored polymers with reactive sites at their α- or ω-end (telechelic POx), or in the side chain. Due to their biocompatibility and low-fouling properties, hydrophilic POx have shown promise as novel stealth-polymers for applications in the biomedical area. In this context, the development of defined high molar mass POx to reduce renal clearance and improve blood circulation times beyond linear polymers has drawn attention. In this contribution, different strategies for the design of star-shaped POx will be summarised. The CROP of 2-oxazolines is presented as a manifold tool to obtain cross-linked or branched star-like materials. In addition, strategies which combine CROP with other controlled polymerisation techniques will be discussed. Star-shaped POx are showcased a versatile platform to create high molar mass POx in a controlled manner and tune the properties of the resulting polymers.

Tunable graphene oxide for the low-fouling electrochemical sensing of uric acid in human serum.

Numerous studies have been reported to improve the selectivity of uric acid (UA) by eliminating the interference from other electroactive species that coexist in biological fluids. However, two main challenges associated with the nonenzymatic electrochemical detection of UA need to be overcome to achieve practical applications in biological samples. Those are the chemical fouling of electrodes caused by the oxidation product of UA and biofouling due to the non-specific absorption of biological macromolecules. It was found that the residual oxo-functional groups and defects on graphene played a crucial part in both electrocatalysis and anti-biofouling. Here, graphene oxide (GO) was tuned by electro-oxidation and electro-reduction and was investigated in antifouling and electrocatalytic performances for the electrochemical sensing of UA by using pristine GO, BSA bound GO, electro-reduction-treated GO and electro-oxidation-treated GO. The electro-oxidation-treated GO was explored in electrochemical sensing for the first time and exhibited the highest sensitivity and low fouling properties. Holey GO might be formed on the electrode surface by the electrochemical oxidation method in a mild and green solution without the use of an acid. The different electrode interfaces as well as the interaction with BSA were investigated by Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, contact angle measurements, scanning electron microscopy, electrochemistry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.

Morphology and Surface Characteristics of PVDF/Poly(2-methoxyethyl acrylate) Blend Membranes Prepared via NIPS and Their pH-Independent Low-Fouling Properties

Morphology and Surface Characteristics of PVDF/Poly(2-methoxyethyl acrylate) Blend Membranes Prepared via NIPS and Their pH-Independent Low-Fouling Properties

A graphdiyne-based protein molecularly imprinted biosensor for highly sensitive human C-reactive protein detection in human serum

• A graphdiyne-based protein molecularly imprinted biosensor was developed. • The biosensor achieved a highly sensitive detection towards C-reactive protein. • Graphdiyne with high conductivity and biocompatibility was utilized for biosensor. • Developed biosensor achieved target recognition in complex biological samples. • The biosensor exhibited excellent antifouling capability. Traditional protein molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are used to develop biosensors for highly specific protein recognition based on generated three-dimensional cavities that are completely complementary to the imprinted template molecules. As a new generation of artificial identification probes, protein MIPs can realize the recognition specificity, but the analytical sensitivity and limit of detection (LOD) are not optimal. Here, a highly sensitive protein MIPs biosensor was constructed, in which conductive and biocompatible graphdiyne (GDY) nanosheets, antifouling and specific MIPs were combined, to achieve the highly sensitive and selective recognition of human C-reactive protein. Dopamine, owing to its simple polymerization procedure and the verified low fouling property of polydopamine, was used as the functional monomer to form steady complex with the template molecule through hydrogen bonding and multipoint electrostatic attraction. GDY with high biocompatibility and conductivity was independently synthesized and initially introduced into the C reactive protein imprinted polymers (C-MIPs) to enhance the electrochemical response and provide a suitable microenvironment for the bioactive protein molecules. In addition to the highly specific MIPs, antifouling material was also utilized to further improve the recognition selectivity. Herein, our developed C-MIPs biosensor performed with a wider linear detection range from 10 −5 to 10 3 ng/mL and the LOD was found to be 0.41 × 10 −5 ng/mL. Moreover, the C-MIPs biosensor showed excellent selectivity, reversibility and reusability, a short rebinding time, and long-term stability. Notably, the developed C-MIPs biosensor performed well even in complex serum samples without discernible signal suppression, indicating its good antifouling ability, as well as high sensitivity and selectivity. The developed C-MIPs biosensor behaved well in human blood samples, declaring its potential practical application capability.

A low-fouling, self-assembled, graft co-polymer and covalent surface coating for controlled immobilization of biologically active moieties

Current biointerfaces aiming to steer specific biological responses frequently lack either stability due to purely electrostatic interactions, bioactivity due to unspecific conjugation chemistries, specificity due to uncontrolled biological interactions such as fouling, or cytocompatibility due to harsh and toxic coating procedures. Here, we report a versatile surface modification platform for covalent tethering of selected biomolecules. New in this approach is the particular combination of modular binding blocks as graft co-polymer. Grafted to the backbone of PAcrAmTM multiple functionalities are strategically combined: covalent (silane) and non-covalent (lysine) surface binding groups for stability and self-assembly in mild buffered solution, PEG-azide chains for low fouling properties, and specific, controlled, covalent, linking of biologically active molecules. This modular strategy overcomes the previously mentioned limitations, for instance regarding bioactivity of the biological moiety due to highly specific strain-promoted azide-alkyne cycloaddition. The successful grafting of the copolymer was confirmed by 1H NMR. The immobilization of RGD peptides was characterized by combining surface analytical techniques, such as ToF-SIMS and ellipsometry, allowing quantification of immobilized molecules over an extensive range of concentrations (0.008–1.95 pmol·cm−2). The bioactivity over this range of concentrations was confirmed by in vitro cell studies, presenting a differential endothelial cell attachment and spreading. The modified substrates enabled the formation of an interconnected monolayer of endothelial cells. Furthermore, the modular platform allowed the co-immobilization of two bioactive functional groups, RGD and biotin, on the same surface, which could be exploited for the further development of controlled multi-functional biointerfaces for diverse biological applications in the future.

Plasma Graft Polymerization and Surface-Initiated Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization: Characteristics of Low-Fouling Membranes Obtained by Surface Modification with Poly(2-methoxyethyl Acrylate)

This study investigated the characteristics of membranes modified by grafting poly(2-methoxyethyl acrylate) (PMEA) onto their surfaces and pore walls via plasma graft polymerization (PGP) and surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) to render the membrane surfaces fouling-free. The grafting of PMEA was successfully achieved using both methods. Although no remarkable differences were observed in the modified membranes through structural analyses such as FT-IR and FE-SEM, pure water permeability was higher in the membranes modified by SI-ATRP than in those modified by PGP, particularly at the same grafting amount. This was probably because the length of the grafted PMEA was shorter with a higher PMEA density per surface area when SI-ATRP was employed for the modification with PMEA, compared to those obtained when PGP was used. The modified membranes exhibited excellent low-fouling properties against bovine serum albumin (BSA), regardless of the modification method used. In addition, it was demonstrated that the low-fouling properties resulted from the suppression of BSA adsorption by the grafted PMEA. Finally, no flux decline was demonstrated through a 10 h filtration test of raw water for water supply with the modified membranes, which clearly indicated the effective fouling suppression performance of the modified membranes.

Development of low-fouling PVDF membranes blended with poly(2-methoxyethyl acrylate) via NIPS process

PVDF-based membranes with low-fouling and high permeability properties were developed by blending poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) with poly(2-methoxyethyl acrylate) (PMEA), a low-fouling polymer, via non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS). Since PMEA suppresses protein adsorption and is insoluble in water, the PMEA homopolymer was used as an additive. Consequently, transparent dope solutions containing 15 wt% PVDF and 0–7 wt% PMEA were prepared using N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone as the solvent. The macrovoids in the blended membranes were larger than those in the pristine PVDF membrane and were probably attributed to the PMEA-promoted solvent exchange during the NIPS process. As a result, the pure water permeabilities of the blended membranes were 5–10 times higher than those of the pristine PVDF membrane. The ATR FT-IR characterization revealed that the PMEA composition of the membrane surfaces increased as the PMEA blend ratio in the dope solution increased. This resulted in the improvement of their low-fouling properties when used in 1000 ppm of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and lysozyme aqueous solutions. Additionally, the PMEA-blended PVDF membrane with the highest PMEA ratio showed the best low-fouling properties.

Detection of Tumor DNA in Human Plasma with a Functional PLL-Based Surface Layer and Plasmonic Biosensing.

Standard protocols for the analysis of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) include the isolation of DNA from the patient’s plasma and its amplification and analysis in buffered solutions. The application of such protocols is hampered by several factors, including the complexity and time-constrained preanalytical procedures, risks for sample contamination, extended analysis time, and assay costs. A recently introduced nanoparticle-enhanced surface plasmon resonance imaging-based assay has been shown to simplify procedures for the direct detection of tumor DNA in the patient’s plasma, greatly simplifying the cumbersome preanalytical phase. To further simplify the protocol, a new dual-functional low-fouling poly-l-lysine (PLL)-based surface layer has been introduced that is described herein. The new PLL-based layer includes a densely immobilized CEEEEE oligopeptide to create a charge-balanced system preventing the nonspecific adsorption of plasma components on the sensor surface. The layer also comprises sparsely attached peptide nucleic acid probes complementary to the sequence of circulating DNA, e.g., the analyte that has to be captured in the plasma from cancer patients. We thoroughly investigated the contribution of each component of the dual-functional polymer to the antifouling properties of the surface layer. The low-fouling property of the new surface layer allowed us to detect wild-type and KRAS p.G12D-mutated DNA in human plasma at the attomolar level (∼2.5 aM) and KRAS p.G13D-mutated tumor DNA in liquid biopsy from a cancer patient with almost no preanalytical treatment of the patient’s plasma, no need to isolate DNA from plasma, and without PCR amplification of the target sequence.

Sulfobetaine Methacrylate Polymers of Unconventional Polyzwitterion Architecture and Their Antifouling Properties

Combining high hydrophilicity with charge neutrality, polyzwitterions are intensely explored for their high biocompatibility and low-fouling properties. Recent reports indicated that in addition to charge neutrality, the zwitterion's segmental dipole orientation is an important factor for interacting with the environment. Accordingly, a series of polysulfobetaines with a novel architecture was designed, in which the cationic and anionic groups of the zwitterionic moiety are placed at equal distances from the backbone. They were investigated by in vitro biofouling assays, covering proteins of different charges and model marine organisms. All polyzwitterion coatings reduced the fouling effectively compared to model polymer surfaces of poly(butyl methacrylate), with a nearly equally good performance as the reference polybetaine poly(3-(N-(2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl)-N,N-dimethylammonio)propanesulfonate). The specific fouling resistance depended on the detailed chemical structure of the polyzwitterions. Still, while clearly affecting the performance, the precise dipole orientation of the sulfobetaine group in the polyzwitterions seems overall to be only of secondary importance for their antifouling behavior.

Low-fouling properties in serum of carboxylic-oligo(ethylene glycol)-based interfaces

In the present work we evaluated the low-fouling feature of a carboxylic-oligo(ethylene glycol) self-assembled monolayer (carboxylic-OEG-SAM) interface using a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D). QCM-D measurements allowed us to estimate the amount of protein loading in two different serum dilutions at two different interfaces: bare gold and carboxylic-OEG. The observed amount of protein adsorbed onto bare gold is about twice higher that of carboxylic OEG interface, confirming the low-fouling characteristics of OEG-modified surfaces. Additionally, QCM-D results demonstrated the existence of two protein adsorption regimes, a faster and a slower, with distinct dissipation energies which was modelled by a two-step kinetic model. The faster regime was attributed to the adsorption of proteins into free sites of the carboxylic-OEG-SAM in a rigid binding process, followed by a slower and more viscoelastic adsorption process ascribed to structural conformational changes; this slower step conforms with the filling of remaining free sites associated with the steric hindrance in which protein-protein interactions defines the slower rate constant for the adsorption.

Layer-by-Layer Deposited Hybrid Polymer Coatings Based on Polysaccharides and Zwitterionic Silanes with Marine Antifouling Properties.

Polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM) assembly is a versatile tool to construct low-fouling coatings. For application in the marine environment, their structure needs to be stabilized by covalent linkage. Here, we introduce an approach for spin coating of silane-based sol-gel chemistries using layer-by-layer assembly of polysaccharide-based hybrid polymer coatings (LBLHPs). The silane sol-gel chemistry allows the films to be cross-linked under water-based and mild reaction conditions. Two different silanes were used for this purpose, a conventional triethoxymethyl silane and a de novo synthesized zwitterionic silane. The polysaccharide-silane hybrid polymer coatings were thoroughly characterized with spectroscopic ellipsometry, water contact angle (WCA) goniometry, attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy. The coatings showed good stability in seawater, smooth surfaces, a high degree of hydration, and WCAs below or close to the Berg limit. LBLHPs showed low-fouling properties in biological assays against nonspecific protein adsorption, attachment of the diatom Navicula perminuta, and settlement of zoospores of the macroalga Ulva linza.

Microemulsion-Assisted Templating of Metal-Stabilized Poly(ethylene glycol) Nanoparticles.

Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) is well known to endow nanoparticles (NPs) with low-fouling and stealth-like properties that can reduce immune system clearance in vivo, making PEG-based NPs (particularly sub-100 nm) of interest for diverse biomedical applications. However, the preparation of sub-100 nm PEG NPs with controllable size and morphology is challenging. Herein, we report a strategy based on the noncovalent coordination between PEG-polyphenolic ligands (PEG-gallol) and transition metal ions using a water-in-oil microemulsion phase to synthesize sub-100 nm PEG NPs with tunable size and morphology. The metal-phenolic coordination drives the self-assembly of the PEG-gallol/metal NPs: complexation between MnII and PEG-gallol within the microemulsions yields a series of metal-stabilized PEG NPs, including 30-50 nm solid and hollow NPs, depending on the MnII/gallol feed ratio. Variations in size and morphology are attributed to the changes in hydrophobicity of the PEG-gallol/MnII complexes at varying MnII/gallol ratios based on contact angle measurements. Small-angle X-ray scattering analysis, which is used to monitor the particle size and intermolecular interactions during NP evolution, reveals that ionic interactions are the dominant driving force in the formation of the PEG-gallol/MnII NPs. pH and cytotoxicity studies, and the low-fouling properties of the PEG-gallol/MnII NPs confirm their high biocompatibility and functionality, suggesting that PEG polyphenol-metal NPs are promising systems for biomedical applications.

Effect of Dipole Orientation in Mixed, Charge-Equilibrated Self-assembled Monolayers on Protein Adsorption and Marine Biofouling.

While zwitterionic interfaces are known for their excellent low-fouling properties, the underlying molecular principles are still under debate. In particular, the role of the zwitterion orientation at the interface has been discussed recently. For elucidation of the effect of this parameter, self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on gold were prepared from stoichiometric mixtures of oppositely charged alkyl thiols bearing either a quaternary ammonium or a carboxylate moiety. The alkyl chain length of the cationic component (11-mercaptoundecyl)-N,N,N-trimethylammonium, which controls the distance of the positively charged end group from the substrate's surface, was kept constant. In contrast, the anionic component and, correspondingly, the distance of the negatively charged carboxylate groups from the surface was varied by changing the alkyl chain length in the thiol molecules from 7 (8-mercaptooctanoic acid) to 11 (12-mercaptododecanoic acid) to 15 (16-mercaptohexadecanoic acid). In this way, the charge neutrality of the coating was maintained, but the charged groups exposed at the interface to water were varied, and thus, the orientation of the dipoles in the SAMs was altered. In model biofouling studies, protein adsorption, diatom accumulation, and the settlement of zoospores were all affected by the altered charge distribution. This demonstrates the importance of the dipole orientation in mixed-charged SAMs for their inertness to nonspecific protein adsorption and the accumulation of marine organisms. Overall, biofouling was lowest when both the anionic and the cationic groups were placed at the same distance from the substrate's surface.

Polysulfone/halloysite composite membranes with low fouling properties and enhanced compaction resistance

In the present study, polysulfone (PSF) ultrafiltration membranes incorporated with varying amounts of halloysite nanotubes (Hal) were fabricated via immersion precipitation membrane casting technique. Membrane characterization by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) revealed that the composite membranes showed notable changes in the morphology, roughness, and distribution of Hal within the membrane matrix. SEM images, pore size, and porosity estimations indicated that the incorporation of low to medium Hal loadings resulted in PSF/Hal membranes with smaller surface pore size, lower porosity, and thicker top skin layer due to the strong interfacial interactions between Hal and PSF matrix. The addition of 5 wt% Hal reduces the composite membrane's contact angle by 14o from the 78.7o of the pristine membrane. The incorporation of 0.2 wt% Hal resulted in a 140% increase in the top surface Young's modulus of the composite membrane, and a notably reduced adhesion of hydrophobic foulants compared to the pristine PSF membrane. During the filtration of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and skimmed milk (SM) solutions, the PSF membranes incorporated with 0.2 and 0.5 wt% Hal showed excellent rejection and flux recovery as well as revealed strong anti-fouling and compaction resistance properties.

Monodispersity of Poly(ethylene glycol) Matters for Low-Fouling Coatings.

Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) is the most used hydrophilic polymer for low-fouling coatings to minimize nonspecific interactions. The PEG molecular weight or its length as well as surface density are typically considered as the main impacts on the control over low-fouling properties. However, the influence of PEG monodispersity on such investigations is typically ignored and rarely reported. Herein, we report the assembly of PEGylated coatings on planar surfaces and Au nanorods (AuNRs) using a series of monodisperse PEG (Mono-PEG) with exact molecular weights and commonly used polydisperse PEG (Poly-PEG) to investigate the effect of the PEG molecular weight and monodispersity on the low-fouling properties. Nonspecific interactions with proteins or cells on PEGylated planar surfaces can be significantly reduced when Mono-PEG with a molecular weight of 752 Da and above is used, while a higher average molecular weight of 2000 Da is required for Poly-PEG-modified surfaces. Cell association of PEGylated AuNRs further confirms that a low molecular weight of Mono-PEG is sufficient to achieve low-fouling properties. This study provides an insight and general guidance into the engineering of low-fouling surfaces by the appropriate choice based on the PEG monodispersity and/or molecular weights.

Honey-inspired antimicrobial hydrogels resist bacterial colonization through twin synergistic mechanisms

Inspired by the interesting natural antimicrobial properties of honey, biohybrid composite materials containing a low-fouling polymer hydrogel network and an encapsulated antimicrobial peroxide-producing enzyme have been developed. These synergistically combine both passive and active mechanisms for reducing microbial bacterial colonization. The mechanical properties of these materials were assessed using compressive mechanical analysis, which revealed these hydrogels possessed tunable mechanical properties with Young’s moduli ranging from 5 to 500 kPa. The long-term enzymatic activities of these materials were also assessed over a 1-month period using colorimetric assays. Finally, the passive low-fouling properties and active antimicrobial activity against a leading opportunistic pathogen, Staphylococcus epidermidis, were confirmed using bacterial cell counting and bacterial adhesion assays. This study resulted in non-adhesive substrate-permeable antimicrobial materials, which could reduce the viability of planktonic bacteria by greater than 7 logs. It is envisaged these new biohybrid materials will be important for reducing bacterial adherence in a range of industrial applications.

Dual-function ultrafiltration membrane constructed from pure activated carbon particles via facile nanostructure reconstruction for high-efficient water purification

Activated carbon (AC) particles, as some of the most widely used sorbents, have an indispensable position in environmental remediation. Although AC surface adsorption was extensively investigated, its internal nanostructure has not been well elucidated. Exploitation of the internal nanostructure for pollution abatement is worthwhile pursuing to expand AC application field. Herein, the internal nanostructures of AC particle are revealed by step-by-step exfoliation and characterization, indicating that an AC particle is composed of multilevel nanostructures including carbon nanospheres and graphene-like layers to a certain extent. AC particles can be transformed into an ultrafiltration membrane through a newly developped structure exfoliation and reconstruction processes under surface regulation without additional cross-linkers. The pure AC membrane (ACM) preserves the adsorption capacity of AC particles, and further endows AC with the function of membrane separation. The ACM shows excellent stability, strong adsorption capacity (252.4 mg/g for methylene blue), narrow sieving pores distribution (5–10 nm), low-fouling property for cycling use. The considerable water flux is 12–27 times higher than commercial ultrafiltration membrane. Dual-function performances of adsorption and separation make the ACM high potential in water purification. This approach for particle-to-membrane transformation provides a new perspective for AC particle future utilization.