The Chinese research team used the 'Turing Structure' to develop a new type of nanofiltration membrane with a water permeability rate three to four times that of conventional nanofiltration membranes. It is expected to improve the advanced treatment of drinking water, brackish water desalination, and industrial water recovery. Water efficiency and cost reduction. A study published in the US “Science” magazine on the 3rd showed that the team of Professor Zhang Lin from the School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering of Zhejiang University proposed the father of computer and artificial intelligence, the British scientist Alan Turing’s The reaction-diffusion equation, combined with membrane research, for the first time produced a nanoscale 'Turing structure' on a thin film.
Turing published the article "The Chemical Basis of Morphogenesis" in 1952, trying to explain the chemical mechanism behind complex life forms with a simple mathematical formula. He believes that any repetitive natural pattern is through two things with specific characteristics (such as The "reaction-diffusion equation" derived from the interactions between molecules, cells, etc., resulted in system instability due to diffusional differences, and eventually formed stripes, stripes, spots, etc. 'Turing structure'. Spirit speculates that the pattern on the surface of organisms such as zebra may be the result of this reaction-diffusion system.
Nanofiltration membranes are functional semipermeable membranes with a pore size of 1 nm or more that allow certain molecules or ions to pass through. They can remove specific organic substances, pigments and salts from water, and are mainly prepared by 'interfacial polymerization'.
The researchers first dissolved the two small molecules of piperazine and trimesoyl chloride in water and oil, and the two small molecules polymerized at the interface of water and oil and formed a layer of flat and dense particles within a few seconds. The thickness was about 100 nm. The polymer film. But the difference in the diffusion rate of piperazine and trimesoyl chloride is not enough to produce 'Turing structure'.
Subsequently, Zhang Lin's team added polyvinyl alcohol to the polymerization reaction, which reduced the diffusion rate of piperazine, and finally produced a nanofiltration membrane with nano-scale 'Turing structure'. By adjusting the concentration of polyvinyl alcohol, Can be bubble, tubular and other different 'Turing structure'.
Professor Zhang Lin told Xinhua News Agency that the hollow tubular or bubble 'Turing structure' can provide a larger effective water transfer area, so the material has higher water flux and salt retention performance.
'This technology only adds the process of adding hydrophilic macromolecules in the process of traditional preparation of nanofiltration membranes, this method does not adjust the traditional process, so it is easy to achieve industrialization.' Zhang Lin said.
