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Title: Liquid-based gating mechanism with tunable multiphase selectivity and antifouling behaviour

Abstract

Living organisms make extensive use of micro- and nanometre-sized pores as gatekeepers for controlling the movement of fluids, vapours and solids between complex environments. In addition, the ability of such pores to coordinate multiphase transport, in a highly selective and subtly triggered fashion and without clogging, has inspired interest in synthetic gated pores for applications ranging from fluid processing to 3D printing and lab-on-chip systems1-10.But although specific gating and transport behaviours have been realized by precisely tailoring pore surface chemistries and pore geometries6,11–17, a single system capable of controlling complex, selective multiphase transport has remained a distant prospect, and fouling is nearly inevitable.Here we introduce a gating mechanism that uses a capillary-stabilized liquid as a reversible, reconfigurable gate that fills and seals pores in the closed state, and creates a non-fouling, liquid-lined pore in the open state.Theoretical modelling and experiments demonstrate that for each transport substance, the gating threshold—the pressure needed to open the pores—can be rationally tuned over a wide pressure range. This enables us to realize in one system differential response profiles for a variety of liquids and gases, even letting liquids flow through the pore while preventing gas from escaping.These capabilities allow us to dynamically modulate gas–liquidmore » sorting in a microfluidic flow and to separate a three-phase air water–oil mixture, with the liquid lining ensuring sustained antifouling behaviour. Because the liquid gating strategy enables efficient long-term operation and can be applied to a variety of pore structures and membrane materials, and to micro- as well as macroscale fluid systems, we expect it to prove useful in a wide range of applications.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1]
  1. Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA (United States). Wyss Institute
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E)
OSTI Identifier:
1191934
Grant/Contract Number:  
AR0000326
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Nature (London)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Name: Nature (London); Journal Volume: 519; Journal Issue: 7541; Journal ID: ISSN 0028-0836
Publisher:
Nature Publishing Group
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; nanoscale materials

Citation Formats

Hou, Xu, Hu, Yuhang, Grinthal, Alison, Khan, Mughees, and Aizenberg, Joanna. Liquid-based gating mechanism with tunable multiphase selectivity and antifouling behaviour. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1038/nature14253.
Hou, Xu, Hu, Yuhang, Grinthal, Alison, Khan, Mughees, & Aizenberg, Joanna. Liquid-based gating mechanism with tunable multiphase selectivity and antifouling behaviour. United States. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature14253
Hou, Xu, Hu, Yuhang, Grinthal, Alison, Khan, Mughees, and Aizenberg, Joanna. Wed . "Liquid-based gating mechanism with tunable multiphase selectivity and antifouling behaviour". United States. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature14253. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1191934.
@article{osti_1191934,
title = {Liquid-based gating mechanism with tunable multiphase selectivity and antifouling behaviour},
author = {Hou, Xu and Hu, Yuhang and Grinthal, Alison and Khan, Mughees and Aizenberg, Joanna},
abstractNote = {Living organisms make extensive use of micro- and nanometre-sized pores as gatekeepers for controlling the movement of fluids, vapours and solids between complex environments. In addition, the ability of such pores to coordinate multiphase transport, in a highly selective and subtly triggered fashion and without clogging, has inspired interest in synthetic gated pores for applications ranging from fluid processing to 3D printing and lab-on-chip systems1-10.But although specific gating and transport behaviours have been realized by precisely tailoring pore surface chemistries and pore geometries6,11–17, a single system capable of controlling complex, selective multiphase transport has remained a distant prospect, and fouling is nearly inevitable.Here we introduce a gating mechanism that uses a capillary-stabilized liquid as a reversible, reconfigurable gate that fills and seals pores in the closed state, and creates a non-fouling, liquid-lined pore in the open state.Theoretical modelling and experiments demonstrate that for each transport substance, the gating threshold—the pressure needed to open the pores—can be rationally tuned over a wide pressure range. This enables us to realize in one system differential response profiles for a variety of liquids and gases, even letting liquids flow through the pore while preventing gas from escaping.These capabilities allow us to dynamically modulate gas–liquid sorting in a microfluidic flow and to separate a three-phase air water–oil mixture, with the liquid lining ensuring sustained antifouling behaviour. Because the liquid gating strategy enables efficient long-term operation and can be applied to a variety of pore structures and membrane materials, and to micro- as well as macroscale fluid systems, we expect it to prove useful in a wide range of applications.},
doi = {10.1038/nature14253},
journal = {Nature (London)},
number = 7541,
volume = 519,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Mar 04 00:00:00 EST 2015},
month = {Wed Mar 04 00:00:00 EST 2015}
}

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