Background

For membrane separation technology, preparing a very thin barrier layer with high selectivity, high throughput, low fouling, and long lasting properties forms the ultimate set of goals, which the widely used polymeric materials have not been able to achieve. Two dimensional single atomic layer materials, such as graphene and graphene oxide, can be very competitive candidates for the proposed tasks, because there is a set of properties has been conceived for the separation membrane that can potentially achieve the goals by using chemically modified graphene-based materials to satisfy the desirable properties for the barrier layer.

Technology

Researchers at Stony Brook University propose that a single atomic layer structure of graphene-based materials provides the possibility of fabricating an ultra-thin barrier layer. Porous surfaces will allow higher permeability. By precisely controlling the parameters during the fabrication, the barrier layer thickness and the assembly of graphene nano-sheets could be well tuned. The produced separation membranes are expected to have higher flux and a higher rejection ratio than existing commercial products and should be useful in many applications.

Advantages

Adjustable pore sizes and porosity - The spacing between nanosheets can be tuned by selecting different crosslinking reagents - Can form the new separation membrane for nanofiltration, desalination, energy generation, and pervaporation.

Application

Nanofiltration - Desalination - Energy generation - Pervaporation