Functional GO-based membranes for water treatment and desalination: Fabrication methods, performance and advantages. A review

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) 2021-07, Vol.274, p.129853-129853, Article 129853
• Main Authors: Alkhouzaam, Abedalkader, Qiblawey, Hazim
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: desalination; graphene oxide; strength (mechanics); water treatment
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.129853

Graphene oxide (GO) and GO-based materials have gained a significant interest in the membrane synthesis and functionalization sector in the recent years. Inspired by their unique and tuneable properties, several GO-based nanomaterials have been investigated and utilized as effective nanofillers for various membranes in the water treatment, purification and desalination sectors. This paper comprehensively reviews the recent advances of GO utilization in pressure, concentration and thermal-driven membrane processes. A brief overview on GO particles, properties, synthesis and functionalization methods was provided. The conventional and the state-of-art fabrication methods of GO-based membranes were summarized and discussed, and consequently the GO-based membranes were classified into different categories. The applications, types, and the performance in terms of flux and rejection were summarized and reviewed. The advantages of GO-based membranes in terms of antifouling properties, bactericidal effects, mechanical strength and stability have been reviewed, too. The review gives insights on the future perspectives of GO functional materials and their potential use in the various membrane processes discussed herein. •GO-based materials showed high potential in water treatment membrane processes.•Membranes embedding f-GO showed higher flux and stability than those embedding p-GO.•Both p-GO and f-GO particles enhanced the membrane fouling and chlorine resistance.•GO-TFN RO and NF membranes have higher desalination performance than SL and MMMs.•The stability and filler leachability of GO coated membranes must be addressed.