Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
Nat Nanotechnol. 2020 Jan;15(1):73-79. doi: 10.1038/s41565-019-0586-8. Epub 2019 Dec 16.
Artificial water channels are synthetic molecules that aim to mimic the structural and functional features of biological water channels (aquaporins). Here we report on a cluster-forming organic nanoarchitecture, peptide-appended hybrid[4]arene (PAH[4]), as a new class of artificial water channels. Fluorescence experiments and simulations demonstrated that PAH[4]s can form, through lateral diffusion, clusters in lipid membranes that provide synergistic membrane-spanning paths for a rapid and selective water permeation through water-wire networks. Quantitative transport studies revealed that PAH[4]s can transport >10 water molecules per second per molecule, which is comparable to aquaporin water channels. The performance of these channels exceeds the upper bound limit of current desalination membranes by a factor of ~10, as illustrated by the water/NaCl permeability-selectivity trade-off curve. PAH[4]'s unique properties of a high water/solute permselectivity via cooperative water-wire formation could usher in an alternative design paradigm for permeable membrane materials in separations, energy production and barrier applications.
人工水通道是旨在模拟生物水通道（水通道蛋白）的结构和功能特征的合成分子。在这里，我们报告了一种形成簇的有机纳米结构，即肽修饰的混合[4]芳烃（PAH[4]），作为一种新型人工水通道。荧光实验和模拟表明，PAH[4]可以通过侧向扩散在脂质膜中形成簇，从而为快速和选择性的水通过水线网络提供协同的跨膜途径。定量传输研究表明，PAH[4]可以每秒每分子传输超过 10 个水分子，这与水通道蛋白水通道相当。这些通道的性能通过水/NaCl 渗透率-选择性权衡曲线表明，超过了当前脱盐膜的上限限制约 10 倍，这说明了它们的卓越性能。PAH[4]通过协同水线形成实现高水/溶质选择性的独特特性，为分离、能源生产和阻隔应用中的可渗透膜材料带来了替代设计范式。
