Itoh Yoshimitsu, Chen Shuo, Hirahara Ryota, Konda Takeshi, Aoki Tsubasa, Ueda Takumi, Shimada Ichio, Cannon James J, Shao Cheng, Shiomi Junichiro, Tabata Kazuhito V, Noji Hiroyuki, Sato Kohei, Aida Takuzo
Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan.
Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology (PRESTO), 4-1-8 Honcho, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan.
Science. 2022 May 13;376(6594):738-743. doi: 10.1126/science.abd0966. Epub 2022 May 12.
Ultrafast water permeation in aquaporins is promoted by their hydrophobic interior surface. Polytetrafluoroethylene has a dense fluorine surface, leading to its strong water repellence. We report a series of fluorous oligoamide nanorings with interior diameters ranging from 0.9 to 1.9 nanometers. These nanorings undergo supramolecular polymerization in phospholipid bilayer membranes to form fluorous nanochannels, the interior walls of which are densely covered with fluorine atoms. The nanochannel with the smallest diameter exhibits a water permeation flux that is two orders of magnitude greater than those of aquaporins and carbon nanotubes. The proposed nanochannel exhibits negligible chloride ion (Cl) permeability caused by a powerful electrostatic barrier provided by the electrostatically negative fluorous interior surface. Thus, this nanochannel is expected to show nearly perfect salt reflectance for desalination.
水通道蛋白中超快的水渗透是由其疏水内表面促进的。聚四氟乙烯具有致密的氟表面，导致其具有很强的拒水性。我们报道了一系列内径范围为0.9至1.9纳米的含氟低聚酰胺纳米环。这些纳米环在磷脂双分子层膜中发生超分子聚合形成含氟纳米通道，其内壁被氟原子密集覆盖。直径最小的纳米通道表现出的水渗透通量比水通道蛋白和碳纳米管的通量高两个数量级。所提出的纳米通道由于带负电的含氟内表面提供的强大静电屏障而表现出可忽略不计的氯离子（Cl）渗透性。因此，这种纳米通道有望在海水淡化中表现出近乎完美的盐分截留率。
