Outlook for graphene-based desalination membranes

We discuss here next-generation membranes based on graphene for water desalination, based on the results of molecular simulations, application of nanofabrication technologies, and experiments. The potential of graphene to serve as a key material for advanced membranes comes from two major possible a...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:npj clean water 2018-05, Vol.1 (1), Article 5
Main Authors: Boretti, Albert, Al-Zubaidy, Sarim, Vaclavikova, Miroslava, Al-Abri, Mohammed, Castelletto, Stefania, Mikhalovsky, Sergey
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
639/301/357
639/925/357
Aquatic Pollution
Desalination
Earth and Environmental Science
Environment
Graphene
Manufacturing industry
Membrane permeability
Membranes
Nanofabrication
Nanotechnology
Permeability
Review Article
Selectivity
Two dimensional materials
Waste Water Technology
Water Industry/Water Technologies
Water Management
Water Pollution Control
Water Quality/Water Pollution
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:We discuss here next-generation membranes based on graphene for water desalination, based on the results of molecular simulations, application of nanofabrication technologies, and experiments. The potential of graphene to serve as a key material for advanced membranes comes from two major possible advantages of this atomically thin two-dimensional material: permeability and selectivity. Graphene-based membranes are also hypothetically attractive based on concentration polarization and fouling, and graphene’s chemical and physical stability. Further research is needed to fully achieve these theoretical benefits, however. In addition, improvement in the design and manufacturing processes, so to produce performance and cost-effective graphene-based desalination devices, is still an open question. Finally, membranes are only one part of desalination systems, and current processes are not optimized to take full advantage of the higher selectivity and permeability of graphene. New desalination processes are, therefore, needed to unlock the full benefits of graphene.
ISSN:2059-7037
2059-7037
DOI:10.1038/s41545-018-0004-z