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Biomimetic Nanocones that Enable High Ion Permselectivity
Author(s) -
Shehzad Muhammad A.,
Wang Yaoming,
Yasmin Aqsa,
Ge Xiaolin,
He Yubin,
Liang Xian,
Zhu Yuan,
Hu Min,
Xiao Xinle,
Ge Liang,
Jiang Chenxiao,
Yang Zhengjin,
Guiver Michael D.,
Wu Liang,
Xu Tongwen
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.201905972
Subject(s) - membrane , desalination , permeation , chemical engineering , divalent , materials science , nanotechnology , surface charge , chemistry , ion , ionic bonding , biomolecule , organic chemistry , biochemistry , engineering
Artificial counterparts of conical‐shaped transmembrane protein channels are of interest in biomedical sciences for biomolecule detection and selective ion permeation based on ionic size and/or charge differences. However, industrial‐scale applications such as seawater desalination, separation of mono‐ from divalent cations, and treatment of highly‐saline industrial waste effluents are still big challenges for such biomimetic channels. A simple monomer seeding experimental approach is used to grow ionically conductive biomimetic charged nanocone pores at the surface of an acid‐functionalized membrane. These readily scalable nanocone membranes enable ultra‐fast cation permeation (Na + =8.4× vs. Mg 2+ =1.4×) and high ion charge selectivity (Na + /Mg 2+ =6×) compared to the commercial state‐of‐the‐art permselective membrane (CSO, Selemion, Japan) owing to negligible surface resistance and positively charged conical pore walls.