Water-graphene environment modulated by coupled nanopore interplay

Abstract

Environmental control on graphene is becoming increasingly necessary to study fundamental processes and to achieve graphene-based technological developments. Here, we designed dynamic actuation on split graphene fluid-environments by supporting graphene sheets on mesoporous thin films (air up - nanopore-confined fluid down). This approach allows transporting species and performing nanochemistry at specific sites under the graphene membrane. We also show distinctive behavior affecting graphene permeability linked to the driving force of the involved water-nanopore interplay processes. This novel precise control of graphene environment offers possibilities for further graphene-based technological developments, such as sensor and actuator tools highly required in lab-on-a-chip devices, as well as to perform fundamental yet elusive studies on water interactions in integrated nanomaterials.