Integrated manufacturing of REciclable multi-material COmposites for the TRANSport sector
2D Biomimetic Membranes Constructed by Charge Assembly and Hydrogen Bonding for Precise Ion Separation
In this work, 2D biomimetic membranes constructed via charge assembly and hydrogen bonding achieve precise ion separation with enhanced mechanical stability. Engineered bacteria act as functional spacers, maintaining selectivity while withstanding high pressures. The membranes exhibit near 100% UO22+ rejection and exceptional K/U and V/U selectivity, enabling sustainable uranium extraction from seawater.Designing well?ordered, multifunctional layered membranes with high selectivity and long?term stability remains a significant challenge. Here, a simple strategy is introduced that utilizes charge repulsion between graphene oxide (GO) and engineered bacteria to induce liquid crystal formation, enabling their layer?by?layer self?assembly on a polyethersulfone membrane. The interlayer pressure flattens the bacteria, removing interlayer water and forming a densely packed structure. This compression decreases the spacing between functional groups, leading to a robust hydrogen bonding network and a significant enhancement in mechanical properties (12.42 times tensile strength increase). Notably, the pressure preserves the activity of the super uranyl?binding protein of engineered bacteria, which selectively coordinates with uranyl (UO22+) through high?affinity coordination bonds, enabling recognition and sieving of target ions. The membrane demonstrates near 100% rejection of UO22+, K/U, and V/U selectivity of ?140 and ?40, respectively, while maintaining long?term stability. This strategy provides a versatile platform for the precise design of high?performance membranes, advancing the field of molecular transport in energy and environmental applications.
» Publication Date: 13/02/2025
This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement Nº 768737
