Producing affordable, renewable and non-polluting forms of electrical energy is crucial to communities worldwide. Osmotic power (blue energy) is one form of alternative electrical energy that is particularly applicable to coastal areas where freshwater interfaces with seawater. A salinity gradient between freshwater and seawater can generate electric energy as ions (cations or anions) selectively diffuse across an ion-selective semipermeable membrane from a solution of high salinity to low salinity. The purpose of this work is to produce a semipermeable membrane that is highly efficient in maintaining a relatively stable salinity gradient. Graphene oxide (GO) membranes are reduced thermally to reduced graphene oxide (RGO) membranes. A salinity gradient is then created by placing a RGO membrane between solutions of 1M Na2SO4 (draw solution) and 1 mM Na2SO4(feed solution). Measuring salt flux and open-circuit voltage is achieved by monitoring the system over time, utilizing a pair of Ag/AgCl electrodes. A pair of low-cost carbon cloth electrodes is used as a comparison. The focus of this work is to analyze the annealing temperature effects on the thermal reduction of graphene oxide in order to optimize the osmotic power.

Thermal reduction of graphene oxide membranes to facilitate osmotic power generation

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