Graphene oxide (GO) is a one-atom-thick, oxygenated carbon sheet bearing extraordinary properties such as low water friction and a stackable structure.  These properties are highly desirable in making high-performance membranes used for water purification and desalination.  There are, however, few reports on GO-enabled membranes possibly due to various technical challenges in synthesizing GO membranes that can remain stable in water environment.  The present study introduces a novel approach to synthesizing a GO-based nanocomposite membrane, and evaluates its water separation performance.  This membrane was made by casting a thin film from a GO and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) mixture on a membrane support, followed by the cross-linking of PVA to stabilize the thin film.  Preliminary performance tests of the synthesized membrane gave high pure water flux (330 LMH at 50 psi) and excellent rejection of organic dyes (95% retention of Rhodamine WT), which are most likely attributed to the 2-dimensional structure of GO channels and the hydrophilicity of PVA.  Our preliminary results also indicated that, by adjusting the ratios of GO to PVA, one could tune the nanocomposite membrane for various processes, ranging from ultrafiltration to osmosis.  It is expected that, compared to conventional membranes, the new membrane has low fouling propensity due to the hydrophilicity of PVA and the bactericidal effect of GO.  Besides, the facile and scalable synthesis of GO nanocomposite membranes may pave the way to the development of a next-generation, high-performance, energy-efficient, and fouling-resistant membranes for various water applications.

Highly tunable graphene-oxide nanocomposite membranes

246th National Meeting (2013)

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