Improving the selectivity of reduced graphene oxide membranes for water and ions separation

Abstract

Recently, reduced graphene oxide (rGO) membranes have drawn intensive attention for water purification and molecular sieving. However, their performance, particularly the selectivity for water and ions separation, is usually under theoretical value, which needs further improvement. This thesis demonstrates the enhanced water/ion selectivity of rGO membranes by tuning their interlayer nanostructures, introducing strong interactions, and covering non-selective defects as well as forming new selective passages. This work provides new insights into the mass transport mechanism of rGO membranes and advances the design of 2D membranes for desalination, ionic sieving, and other environmental applications.