Artificial Water Channels – AWCs have been developed during the last decade with the hopes to construct the artificial analogues of Aquaporin (AQP) proteins. Their osmotic water permeability are in the range of the natural transporters, making them suitable candidates that can potentially transport water at lower energy and operating cost. Compared to the AQPs, the AWCs would have several potential advantages, such as improved stability, simple and scalable fabrication and higher functional density when confined in 2D membrane arrays. The first knowledge gap between the AWCs and AQPs is in the mimicry of the complete set of functionality, in terms of obtaining systems capable of simultaneous water permeation and salt rejection, while not forfeiting the advantage of simplicity. Despite the incipient developments, major problems still remain unsolved, such as their up-scaling preparation procedures from laboratory studies to the square meters needed for large industrial membrane applications. However, the flow of structural information from molecular level through nanoscale dimensions, towards highly ordered ultradense macroscopic arrays of AWCs is conceptually possible. Successfully transitioning from synthetic molecules to functional channels and materials could lead to a new generation of membranes for water purification. Moving AWCs into products in the commercial arena is now the main objective of research in this new-born field.

Artificial water channels: Deconvolution of natural aquaporins through synthetic design

2019 Fall National Meeting

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