Study on water transport through a mechanically robust Aquaporin Z biomimetic membrane

• Water transport mechanism was explored by modeling.
• Key factors controlling water flux have been identified.
• Mechanical stability such as tension of vesicle has been analyzed.

Aquaporin-incorporated membranes exhibit the unique potential to achieve a high water flux in a desalination process, and more importantly a high salt rejection. In this study, water transport through the robust Aquaporin-embedded vesicular membrane has been explored in FO process. Mathematical simulation was applied to correlate vesicle size, vesicle permeability and the interior solute concentration with membrane flux in FO process. The results indicate that the water flux of the membrane is determined by both vesicle size and permeability in pressure retarded mode, while the interior solute concentration of vesicles will impact the hydrostatic pressure of the vesicles in forward osmosis mode. It provides a fundamental understanding of the water transport through the Aquaporin-embedded vesicular biomimetic membrane which is a critical guide for future biomimetic membrane design and performance enhancement.

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