R&D 100 Winner 2011: Biomimetic Membranes for Water Purification

The new biomimetic membranes purify water through reverse osmosis (RO) technology. "We made a synthetic membrane that mimics the nanoscale design features of natural water purification channels," said Susan Rempe. "By doing so, our initial membranes achieved a ten-fold improvement in water purification efficiency compared with state-of-the-art RO membranes." The selective, high-flux desalination membranes are formed of self-assembled nanopores tuned (with atomic-layer deposition) to mimic key structural features found in cell membranes. Advances in theoretical modeling were essential for deciphering how biological pore structures selectively remove ions, thereby guiding pore design for efficient new membranes. Novel synthetic strategies were instrumental in fabricating highly ordered nanoporous membranes with tailor-made pore geometries and interior surfaces. "These membranes will improve access to clean water, which may be the most important issue facing people worldwide because of its critical role in public health and agriculture as well as energy production," said Rempe. Funding was provided by Sandia's Laboratory Directed Research and Development program, DOE Basic Energy Sciences programs in materials science and catalysis, and the National Institutes of Health's Roadmap for Nanomedicine.

SAND 2011-2442P