Water filtration membranes morph like cells

Morphogenesis is the process of building structures out of a fixed set of components. Research into the phenomenon in synthetic materials is scant, despite the fact that nature is rich with examples of cell differentiation, embryo development and the like. University of Illinois researchers are using machine learning and fluid dynamics theories to watch soft polymers as they learn from nature.

The study was led by a professor of materials science and engineering, Jie Feng, as well as professors of mechanical science and engineering and chemical and biomolecular engineering, Xiao Su. The study was published in a journal.

You may see the filters in your home water purification systems as simple membranes with pores, but they are much more sophisticated when we zoom in using electron tomography.

The researchers can see the intricate 3D structure of the membranes with all their crumples, inner voids and networks at a spatial resolution not possible before. The structures are so complex that traditional shape descriptors are not valid, said Chen, who led the experimental portion of the study.

The machine learning-based workflow was developed by graduate students John W. Smith and Lehan Yao to help team members understand the complex nature of the membranes.

Smith and Yao made a difference.

The study found that there were similarities between the synthetic membranes and biological systems. The molecule are smart, and we expect that similar morphogenesis occurs in other soft materials, we simply didn't have the tools to see them until now.

The impact goes beyond mechanistic understanding, according to Su, who led the studies. Our study combines the detailed nanoscale understanding of the morphology with the testing of the filters.

The researchers envision a wide range of applications of this development that may expand the function of soft nanomaterials.

This advancement will benefit the design of other materials of complex 3D morphologies.

The paper "Mechanism and performance relevance of nanomorphogenesis in polyamide films revealed by quantitative 3D imaging and machine learning" is published by Science Advances.

More information: Hyosung An et al, Mechanism and performance relevance of nanomorphogenesis in polyamide films revealed by quantitative 3D imaging and machine learning, Science Advances (2022). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abk1888. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abk1888 Journal information: Science Advances Citation: Water filtration membranes morph like cells (2022, February 23) retrieved 23 February 2022 from https://phys.org/news/2022-02-filtration-membranes-morph-cells.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.