Aqueous Porous Liquids for Undersea Medicine
Abstract
The proposed research targets a new class of fluids?aqueous porous liquids?to address long-standing challenges in undersea medicine., These unique materials feature permanent microporosity, intrinsic fluidity, and high gas adsorption capacities in aqueous environme,nts. Aqueous porous liquids are composed of microporous nanocrystals with hydrophobic internal surfaces and hydrophilic external sur,faces that contain dry, gas-accessible pores even when surrounded by liquid water. Here, we propose a generalizable strategy to disp,erse and stabilize hydrophobic microporous nanocrystals in water by modifying their external surfaces with proteins, which can form,an amphiphilic layer around the nanocrystal without infiltrating inside the porous networks. In particular, we will advance our fund,amental understanding of aqueous porous liquids by investigating how different proteins adsorb to hydrophobic metal?organic framewor,k nanocrystals in water and how those adsorbed protein layers affect the dispersibility, stability, gas exchange kinetics, viscosity, and biocompatibility of the bulk fluid. This research will establish critical design principles for creating new aqueous porous liq,uids with properties tailored to applications of importance to the ONR and DoD, including treatments for decompression sickness in d,eep sea diving, liquid breathing, toxic gas removal, artificial blood substitutes, treatments for acute or chronic hypoxia, and high,-density gas storage. This research effort will be led by Professor Jarad A. Mason in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biolo,gy at Harvard University. The total funds requested from ONR for the performance period is $1,000,000 over 5 years.THIS ABSTRACT IS,PUBLICLY RELEASABLE.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Sep 08, 2022
- Source ID
- N000142212739
Entities
People
- Jarad A Mason
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- President and Fellows of Harvard College
- United States Navy