Teflon-inspired nanochannels outperform biological water transporters

Frictionless water channel

Source: © Science/AAAS

Extreme water repellence of fluorinated surfaces leads to unprecedented permeation rates

Japanese researchers have designed a series of fluorinated nanochannels, able to selectively remove salt and other impurities from contaminated water samples. With a purification rate three orders of magnitude greater than the current alternatives, the team is confident that this technology can be developed for global water treatment and desalination applications.