Nature has developed a most efficient way for water transport across an osmotic pressure gradient via aquaporin proteins. The aquaporins or water channel proteins, typically bound in phospholipid cellular membranes, are highly permeable to water but highly retentive to solutes. This makes water delivery across a cell at a sufficiently low energy cost.  An artificial membrane has been developed to mimic the natural cellular membranes by incorporating aquaporins into an ultrathin rejection layer. The resulting aquaporin biomimetic membrane showed good mechanical stability, water permeability, and salt rejection, with strong potential for water reuse and seawater desalination applications.

Aquaporin based biomimetic membranes for water reuse and desalination

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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