Collaborative Research: Bioinspired liquid-gated membranes reduce biofouling

合作研究：仿生液体门控膜减少生物污垢

基本信息

批准号：
1930610
负责人：
Jessica Schiffman
金额：
$ 34.05万
依托单位：
University of Massachusetts Amherst
依托单位国家：
美国
项目类别：
Standard Grant
财政年份：
2019
资助国家：
美国
起止时间：
2019-10-01 至 2024-09-30
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1930610&HistoricalAwards=false
关键词：
Collaborative Research Bioinspired liquid gated

项目摘要

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.

超滤膜被认为是水处理的“最新”材料，因为它们有效地从饮用水中去除了颗粒和水传播病原体。不幸的是，随着时间的流逝，膜变得污染并需要清洁，这增加了水处理过程的停机时间。改善膜寿命对于降低产生清洁水所需的成本和能量至关重要。在自然界中，尼彭尼斯（Nepenthes）投资厂使用薄薄的液体层来产生超滑发的表面，从而导致昆虫滑入其杯子中。受投手工厂的启发，该研究项目将开发一种新的膜设计方法，可降低污垢的粘附，从而实现膜的长期操作。通过正确选择稳定的“门控液体”，该稳定的“门控液体”在膜上提供薄的保护层，可以创建可逆的孔门，以迅速打开并关闭以实现液体运输，同时降低了污垢固定物的能力。此外，当释放压力时，门控液体会补充毛孔，驱除被困在孔内的污染物并实现通量恢复。除了提高膜净化膜的功能外，了解材料生物学界面还将有助于为新膜的设计提供广泛分离的设计，包括食物加工，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经验平台，以使妇女和代表性不足的小组成为成功工程师的信心和工具。该研究项目将设计高通量液体门控膜，该膜在不使用杀菌剂或物理清洁的情况下抵抗生物污染。该方法采用液体门控膜的制造，使用无毒的全氟球叶液体具有各种粘性系统与氟化的聚乙烯超滤膜系统配对的各种粘性液体，以建立连续稳定的液态门。从纯水通量实验中获取的数据随跨膜压力的函数将确定膜的性能和在线液体栅极再生能力。该实验数据将针对理论和基于芯片的模型进行基准测试。将使用有机和生物污垢建立液态门控膜的生物污染耐药性。该研究项目提供了液体门控膜的结构和特性与使用生物启发的材料方法之间的关键翻译，以减少微生物在膜上的附着，同时启用可轻松恢复的便捷机制。该研究项目将在马萨诸塞大学和缅因州大学的本科生和研究生层面上为妇女和代表性不足的群体带来许多新的研究经验。合作地，该团队将开发，试点并广泛传播一个名为“生物启发的清洁水解决方案”的教育模块，向中学生和高中生。该项目由分子分离计划和启发竞争性研究的既定计划共同资助。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并使用基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛的影响审查标准，认为值得通过评估值得支持。