Aquaporin-Based Biomimetic Membranes for Low Energy Water Desalination and Separation Applications

The emergence of biomimetic materials developed using nature's inspiration and biological domains can drive a paradigm shift in the design and operation of future-generation materials in separation applications. In recent years, biomimetic membranes have drawn interest of many researchers for water treatment applications. Among the biomimetic membranes, protein-based membranes, specifically those synthesized by aquaporin, have received much attention in recent years due to their high osmotic water permeability and excellent ability to remove small molecules, thereby overcoming the trade-off between the water flux and the contaminant's rejection. The separation efficiency and fouling properties are significantly improved by taking advantage of the strategies evolved in nature. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art aquaporin-based biomimetic membranes (ABMs), mainly focusing on their synthesis, characterization, and performance as selective layer in composite membranes for reverse osmosis, nanofiltration, and forward osmosis for water desalination. Fabrication methods and characterization techniques of ABMs and their performance in water desalination are also reviewed, while the main obstacles for their successful commercial viability in wastewater treatment are provided. The applications of ABMs in various separation processes other than water desalination and their potential market are presented to inspire future researchers in this versatile area.