皇家华人

Multidisciplinary research is driving new nature-inspired engineering solutions to purify and desalinate water.

Clean听water is a听vital听resource听but one that is听becoming rapidly scarce for much of the global population.听The need for听innovative听technologies that convert听seawater听to drinking water听or听remove impurities from wastewater听is听becoming increasingly important.听

鈥淒esigning and implementing innovative听ways to听purify听and听desalinate water听is听essential听if we are to conserve resources and provide drinking water for听the world鈥檚听growing population,鈥� says Professor Marc-Olivier Coppens, Director of听the听UCL Centre for听Nature-Inspired Engineering (CNIE).听听

Over time, the听artificial听membranes听currently听used听in water treatment听become damaged by听unwanted material听that听accumulates on their听surface.听听

Researchers听at听the听CNIE听are听taking听a different approach:听learning from听biological membranes,听such as听cell membranes or kidney blood vessels, to听develop听more听efficient, durable membranes.听

鈥�鈥淩ather than imitating nature out of context,听our听research is taking a scientific approach to uncover fundamental mechanisms underlying desirable traits听in the natural world.鈥澨�听

鈥淲e are taking inspiration from the听cells and organs听in our body,听such as the kidneys,听which听are听constantly听purifying and changing the听content of听impure听liquids, without听getting听blocked,鈥澨齈rofessor Coppens听explains.听听

Biological听cell听membranes contain small pores听鈥撎齝alled听aquaporins听鈥撎齱hich听repel ions and let water flow through freely due to the听characteristics of their听surface.听Understanding these听pores听is听now听informing听the听design of听the听artificial听membranes听used in water treatment.听听

In addition,听Professor Coppens鈥檚 team听investigated听how听these听cell听membranes prevent听proteins and听debris,听such as听bacteria,听from听sticking听to听them.听They explored听two听different mechanisms听used by听kidney听blood vessels听and cell membranes听to听develop听nature-inspired membranes that stay clean during听applications in water treatment.听听

The research听involves collaborations听across UCL Chemical Engineering, UCL Civil, Environmental &听Geomatic听Engineering, and the London Centre for Nanotechnology.听

More generally, the听CNIE鈥檚 research听draws lessons from nature to engineer innovative solutions to听real-world challenges听around听energy, water, materials, health, and living space. This is realised via听cross-disciplinary collaborations across UCL, and with national and global partners.听听

鈥淩ather than imitating nature out of context,听our听research is taking a scientific approach to uncover fundamental mechanisms underlying desirable traits听in the natural world,鈥� says Professor Coppens. 鈥淲e听then apply these mechanisms to design听and听produce artificial systems that听use these听traits.鈥澨�