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Nolle F, Starke LJ, Griffo A, Lienemann M, Jacobs K, Seemann R, Fleury JB, Hub JS, Hähl H. Hydrophobin Bilayer as Water Impermeable Protein Membrane. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2023; 39:13790-13800. [PMID: 37726241 PMCID: PMC10552762 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c01006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
One of the most important properties of membranes is their permeability to water and other small molecules. A targeted change in permeability allows the passage of molecules to be controlled. Vesicles made of membranes with low water permeability are preferable for drug delivery, for example, because they are more stable and maintain the drug concentration inside. This study reports on the very low water permeability of pure protein membranes composed of a bilayer of the amphiphilic protein hydrophobin HFBI. Using a droplet interface bilayer setup, we demonstrate that HFBI bilayers are essentially impermeable to water. HFBI bilayers withstand far larger osmotic pressures than lipid membranes. Only by disturbing the packing of the proteins in the HFBI bilayer is a measurable water permeability induced. To investigate possible molecular mechanisms causing the near-zero permeability, we used all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of various HFBI bilayer models. The simulations suggest that the experimental HFBI bilayer permeability is compatible neither with a lateral honeycomb structure, as found for HFBI monolayers, nor with a residual oil layer within the bilayer or with a disordered lateral packing similar to the packing in lipid bilayers. These results suggest that the low permeabilities of HFBI and lipid bilayers rely on different mechanisms. With their extremely low but adaptable permeability and high stability, HFBI membranes could be used as an osmotic pressure-insensitive barrier in situations where lipid membranes fail such as desalination membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Friederike Nolle
- Department
of Experimental Physics, Saarland University, D-66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Leonhard J. Starke
- Department
of Theoretical Physics, Saarland University, D-66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Alessandra Griffo
- Department
of Experimental Physics, Saarland University, D-66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
- Max
Planck School, Matter to Life, Jahnstraße 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Max
Planck Institute for Medical Research Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Karin Jacobs
- Department
of Experimental Physics, Saarland University, D-66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
- Max
Planck School, Matter to Life, Jahnstraße 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ralf Seemann
- Department
of Experimental Physics, Saarland University, D-66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Jean-Baptiste Fleury
- Department
of Experimental Physics, Saarland University, D-66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Jochen S. Hub
- Department
of Theoretical Physics, Saarland University, D-66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Hendrik Hähl
- Department
of Experimental Physics, Saarland University, D-66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
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Gou Q, Luo H, Zheng Y, Zhang Q, Li C, Wang J, Odunmbaku O, Zheng J, Xue J, Sun K, Li M. Construction of Bio-inspired Film with Engineered Hydrophobicity to Boost Interfacial Reaction Kinetics of Aqueous Zinc-Ion Batteries. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2022; 18:e2201732. [PMID: 35561050 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202201732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2022] [Revised: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Aqueous zinc-ion batteries typically suffer from sluggish interfacial reaction kinetics and drastic cathode dissolution owing to the desolvation process of hydrated Zn2+ and continual adsorption/desorption behavior of water molecules, respectively. To address these obstacles, a bio-inspired approach, which exploits the moderate metabolic energy of cell systems and the amphiphilic nature of plasma membranes, is employed to construct a bio-inspired hydrophobic conductive poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) film decorating α-MnO2 cathode. Like plasma membranes, the bio-inspired film can "selectively" boost Zn2+ migration with a lower energy barrier and maintain the integrity of the entire cathode. Electrochemical reaction kinetics analysis and theoretical calculations reveal that the bio-inspired film can significantly improve the electrical conductivity of the electrode, endow the cathode-electrolyte interface with engineered hydrophobicity, and enhance the desolvation behavior of hydrated Zn2+ . This results in an enhanced ion diffusion rate and minimized cathode dissolution, thereby boosting the overall interfacial reaction kinetics and cathode stability. Owing to these intriguing merits, the composite cathode can demonstrate remarkable cycling stability and rate performance in comparison with the pristine MnO2 cathode. Based on the bio-inspired design philosophy, this work can provide a novel insight for future research on promoting the interfacial reaction kinetics and electrode stability for various battery systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianzhi Gou
- MOE Key Laboratory of Low-grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, CQU-NUS Renewable Energy Materials & Devices Joint Laboratory, School of Energy & Power Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, P. R. China
| | - Haoran Luo
- MOE Key Laboratory of Low-grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, CQU-NUS Renewable Energy Materials & Devices Joint Laboratory, School of Energy & Power Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, P. R. China
| | - Yujie Zheng
- MOE Key Laboratory of Low-grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, CQU-NUS Renewable Energy Materials & Devices Joint Laboratory, School of Energy & Power Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, P. R. China
| | - Qi Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Low-grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, CQU-NUS Renewable Energy Materials & Devices Joint Laboratory, School of Energy & Power Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, P. R. China
| | - Chen Li
- MOE Key Laboratory of Low-grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, CQU-NUS Renewable Energy Materials & Devices Joint Laboratory, School of Energy & Power Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, P. R. China
| | - Jiacheng Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Low-grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, CQU-NUS Renewable Energy Materials & Devices Joint Laboratory, School of Energy & Power Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, P. R. China
| | - Omololu Odunmbaku
- MOE Key Laboratory of Low-grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, CQU-NUS Renewable Energy Materials & Devices Joint Laboratory, School of Energy & Power Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, P. R. China
| | - Jing Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, P. R. China
| | - Junmin Xue
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, CQU-NUS Renewable Energy Materials & Devices Joint Laboratory, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117573, Singapore
| | - Kuan Sun
- MOE Key Laboratory of Low-grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, CQU-NUS Renewable Energy Materials & Devices Joint Laboratory, School of Energy & Power Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, P. R. China
| | - Meng Li
- MOE Key Laboratory of Low-grade Energy Utilization Technologies and Systems, CQU-NUS Renewable Energy Materials & Devices Joint Laboratory, School of Energy & Power Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, 400044, P. R. China
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