仿生液体门控多尺度孔道的研究

Bio-inspired pore and channel systems have attracted extensive research interests in recent years owing to their wide potential applications in substance separation and fluidic devices, etc. The structure, shape, function and physical chemistry properties of the multiscale biological pore and channel are the key factors to fabricate bio-inspired pore and channel systems. In this project, inspired by natural system, we will build bio-inspired liquid-gating multiscale pore and channel systems based on the new strategies to transform the basic scientific issues inside the pore and channel from the solid-liquid/solid-gas interface to the liquid-liquid/liquid-gas interface. This conversion of these scientific issues would bring more possibilities to the design of advanced pore and channel systems. Compared with solid related interface, the liquid can have random shape to adjust itself to the external condition which would be an ideal dynamic responsive material to gate the solid porous materials and control the transport properties of substance, which would bring some new properties, such as energy-saving and antifouling. In this project, we will build a novel liquid-gating multiscale pore and channel system based on the building blocks of the pores and channels with different structure & composition, responsive molecule, & gating liquid, and study how to design the functional pore and channel with gating liquid to achieve highly efficient and stable smart gating system. Meanwhile, we will also systematically study the influence of micro/nano-scale pore and channel and the chemical composition of gating liquid on the fluids transport properties and gating properties. This project would not only solve fundamental scientific issues, but also provide a significant guidance in the development of the promising real-world applications in smart membranes, substance separation, as well as wastewater treatment.

仿生孔道因其在物质分离、流体器件等领域具有广阔的应用前景，近年来在国内外引起了广泛关注。深入观察和研究生物多尺度系统的结构、功能以及物化性质，是设计开发仿生孔道的关键因素。本项目受生物体中孔道的启发，在多尺度孔道系统中，引入仿生液体门控机制，设计开发新型功能孔道，把传统的固体/气体和固体/液体体系的科学问题转移到了固体液体/气体和固体液体/液体体系。通过将固体门控转为液体门控的孔道系统，实现外界刺激响应物质输运更加灵活的动态调控，并带来孔道系统一些全新的节能抗污性质。本项目将以多尺度具有不同结构和组成的孔道与响应性功能分子及特定的门控液体作为组成基元，研究如何设计功能化固体孔道与门控液体的相互匹配来实现高效稳定的智能门控开关。同时系统地研究微/纳尺度孔道和门控液体化学组成对输运流体和门控性能的影响。本项目在解决基础科学问题的同时，将推动仿生孔道在智能薄膜、物质分离、污水处理领域的实际应用。

自然界中，肺泡组织利用液体填充的微孔系统来实现选择性物质传输。受此现象启发,我们设计并开发出液体门控多尺度孔道系统。其作用机理依赖于毛细管作用对压力变化所产生的响应，通过液体的动态重构与可逆恢复，液体门控多尺度孔道系统可以实现孔道的开关功能以及可调的压强控制性能。本项目通过对自然界微/纳多尺度孔道系统的研究，设计和开发了基于液体门控机制的具有特定功能的仿生多尺度孔道系统，为实现外场响应的物质高效分离、开关和输运的可控性提供了新的物理化学方法，并为仿生多尺度孔道的现实应用提出具有前瞻性的设计思路。具体包括：（1）基于液体门控的微通道系统，可通过双压力响应进行调控，其流体稳定输运的工作阈值压强至少提升了两个数量级；（2）基于应力响应的液体门控多孔膜在恒压环境下实现多相流体的动态膜分离新方法，能在恒压环境下实现多相流体效率达97%以上的动态分离；（3）基于离子响应的液体门控无电可视化物质检测新方法，检测体系操作简单，可微型化使用，在毒品便携式快速微量检测、食品安全、环境监测、医疗诊断等领域具有广阔的应用前景；（4）基于液体门控技术的新型智能活塞或阀门，可应用于智能门阀与柔性机器人、柔性器件等领域；（5）金属基液体门控复合膜，具有优异耐腐蚀性能；（6）新型液体门控多功能医用导管，具有自适应性、抗凝血及定点药物释放等功能；（7）基于电响应液体门控技术的空气净化初步探索以及（8）基于热响应液体门控技术的节能大棚膜应用初步探索。项目以多尺度具有不同结构和组成的孔道与响应性功能分子及特定的门控液体作为组成基元，构建了具有力、热、电响应的功能化固体孔道与功能性门控液体匹配来实现高效稳定的液体门控体系并应用于不同的领域。在解决基础科学问题的同时，推动了仿生孔道在智能薄膜、物质分离、污水处理、化学检测、柔性机器人等领域的实际应用。