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

Journal Article · Wed Mar 04 00:00:00 EST 2015 · Nature (London)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/nature14253· OSTI ID:1191934

Hou, Xu ^[1]; Hu, Yuhang ^[1]; Grinthal, Alison ^[1]; Khan, Mughees ^[1]; Aizenberg, Joanna ^[1]

---

1. Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA (United States)

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 systems^1-10.But although specific gating and transport behaviours have been realized by precisely tailoring pore surface chemistries and pore geometries^6,11–17, 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.

• Research Organization: Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA (United States). Wyss Institute
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E)
• Grant/Contract Number: AR0000326
• OSTI ID: 1191934
• Journal Information: Nature (London), Vol. 519, Issue 7541; ISSN 0028-0836
• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
nanoscale materials