Nano-confined controllable crystallization in supramolecular polymeric membranes for ultra-selective desalination
Abstract Innovations in self-assembly and aggregate engineering have led to membranes that better balance water permeability with salt rejection, overcoming traditional trade-offs. Here we demonstrate a strategy that uses multivalent H-bond interactions at the nano-confined space to manipulate contr...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-57353-0 |
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| Summary: | Abstract Innovations in self-assembly and aggregate engineering have led to membranes that better balance water permeability with salt rejection, overcoming traditional trade-offs. Here we demonstrate a strategy that uses multivalent H-bond interactions at the nano-confined space to manipulate controllable and organized crystallization. Specifically, we design amphiphilic oligomers featuring hydrophobic segments with strongly polar end-capped motifs. When spreading on air/water interfaces, the hydrophobic parts repel water, yielding an ordered alignment of supramolecular oligomers under nano-confinement, while the strongly polar sections engage in strong hydrogen bonding and reconfigure to strongly interact with water molecules, enabling the controlled assembly and orientation of nano-confined crystalline domains. This arrangement provides dual benefits: refining the distribution of pore sizes for ultra-selectivity and boosting the free volume for water permeation. Compared to counterpart oligomers with weakly polar motifs, the optimized membrane with a 6-nm thickness demonstrates the water permeability of 14.8 L m−2 h−1 bar−1 and extraordinary water/NaCl selectivity of more than 54 bar−1 under pressure-driven condition. This study sheds light on how nano-confined self-assembly and aggregate engineering affect the architectures, functionality, and performance of polymer membranes, emphasizing the promise of controllable crystallization in ultrathin membranes for optimal desalination. |
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| ISSN: | 2041-1723 |