Loading Self-Assembly\nSiliceous Zeolites for Affordable\nNext-Generation Wearable Artificial Kidney Technology

The global demand for dialysis among patients with end-stage\nkidney\ndisease has surpassed the capacity of public healthcare, a trend that\nhas intensified. While wearable artificial kidney (WAK) technology\nis seen as a crucial solution to address this demand, there is an\nurgent need for both efficient and renewable toxin-adsorbent materials\nto overcome the long-standing technological challenges in terms of\ncost, device size, and sustainability. In this study, we employed\nscreening experiments for adsorbent materials, multimodal characterization,\nand Monte Carlo adsorption simulations to identify a synthetic self-assembly\nsilicalite-1 zeolite that exhibits highly ordered crystal arrays along\nthe [010] face (<i>b</i>-axis) direction, demonstrating\nexceptional adsorption capabilities for small molecular toxins such\nas creatinine and urea associated with uremia. Moreover, this metal-free,\ncost-effective, easily synthesized, and highly efficient toxin adsorbent\ncould be regenerated through calcination without compromising the\nperformance. The simulated toxin adsorption experiments and comprehensive\nbiocompatibility verification position it as an auxiliary adsorbent\nto reduce dialysate dosages in WAK devices as well as a potential\nadsorbent for small-molecule toxins in dialysis. This work is poised\nto propel the development of next-generation WAK devices by providing\nsiliceous adsorbent solutions for small-molecule toxins.