### Abstract: Significant Progress in ECMO Oxygenation Membrane Development Recently, a joint research effort led by Associate Researcher Yaqi Lin and Professor Zhenzhong Yang from the Department of Chemical Engineering at Tsinghua University, in collaboration with Associate Professor Huanhuan Wu from Beijing Jiaotong University, has made significant progress in the development of oxygenation membranes for Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) systems. This breakthrough not only enhances the durability of the oxygenation membranes but also successfully challenges the market dominance of foreign materials, marking a substantial contribution to the advancement of healthcare in China. ECMO systems, often referred to as "artificial lungs," are critical in treating patients with severe heart and lung failure. The oxygenation membrane, a core component of ECMO, directly impacts the device's lifespan and patient safety. A key challenge in oxygenation membrane development is achieving a balance between high gas permeability and strong resistance to blood plasma leakage. The research team addressed this challenge by grafting multifunctional Janus nanoparticles, specifically functionalized mesoporous silica nanoparticles, onto commercial polypropylene (PP) membranes. This innovative approach significantly improved the membrane's hydrophobicity and reduced pore size, thereby enhancing its resistance to blood plasma leakage. Despite the additional layer of nanoparticles, the modified PP membrane maintained high gas permeability, with the gas flux decreasing by no more than 4%. The bubble point, a measure of the membrane's resistance to liquid penetration, increased from 0.36 MPa to 1.20 MPa, and the time resistance to plasma leakage extended from 600 minutes to 4140 minutes. The enhanced performance of the new PP-based composite membrane is attributed to the multifunctional Janus nanoparticles. These particles, when grafted onto the PP membrane, form a thin layer that significantly improves the membrane's hydrophobic properties and reduces pore size. The gaps between the particles and the mesoporous structure of the silica nanoparticles provide ample contact area for gas and liquid, ensuring efficient oxygen transfer to the blood. This development not only resolves the theoretical contradiction between gas permeability and plasma leakage resistance but also demonstrates superior performance in practical applications. The new membrane's properties are comparable to, and in some cases surpass, those of the commercially available poly-4-methyl-1-pentene (PMP) membranes, which are currently the market standard. By achieving these enhancements, the research team has opened new avenues for the widespread use of ECMO systems in medical settings. The study, titled "Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticle Grafted Polypropylene Membrane toward Long-term Efficient Oxygenation," has been published in the prestigious international journal *Small Structures* (IF=13.9). The lead author of the paper is Master's student Aoxing Feng from Tsinghua University's Department of Chemical Engineering, with Associate Researcher Yaqi Lin, Professor Zhenzhong Yang, and Associate Professor Huanhuan Wu serving as corresponding authors. This research was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and Tsinghua University's Spring Breeze Fund. The successful development of this novel oxygenation membrane represents a significant breakthrough in ECMO technology, potentially reducing dependency on foreign materials and lowering the cost of ECMO treatments. The findings could have far-reaching implications for improving patient outcomes in critical care settings and advancing the field of medical device manufacturing in China.