Bioinspired and biomimetic membranes for water purification and chemical separation: A review

Abstract Bioinspired and biomimetic membranes that contain biological transport channels or attain their structural designs from systems have been through a remarkable development over the last two decades. They take advantage of exceptional properties those channels, thus possess both high permeability selectivity, emerged as promising solution to existing membranes. Since discovery water channel proteins aquaporins (AQPs), extensive efforts made utilize them make separation membranes-AQP-based membranes, which commercialized. The exploration AQPs’ unique structures has resulted in evolution materials protein-based artificial channel-based However, large-scale, defect-free are not available yet. This paper reviews state-of-the-art summarizes latest research progress, platform, methodology. Then it critically discusses potential routes this emerging area toward scalable applications. We conclude an appropriate combination bioinspired concepts molecular engineering with mature polymer industry may lead polymeric intrinsic selective will gain merit desired selectivity scalability.