Layer-by-layer assembly of graphene oxide membranes via electrostatic interaction and eludication of water and solute transport mechanisms
A method for synthesizing a water purification membrane is presented. The method includes stacking a plurality of graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets to create the water purification membrane, the stacking involving layer-by-layer assembly of the plurality of GO nanosheets and forming a plurality of nanochannels between the plurality of GO nanosheets for allowing the flow of a fluid and for rejecting the flow of contaminants. The method further includes cross-linking the plurality of GO nanosheets by 1,3,5-benzenetricarbonyl trichloride on a polydopamine coated polysulfone support.
1. A method for synthesizing a water purification membrane, the method comprising:
stacking a plurality of graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets to create the water purification membrane, the stacking involving layer-by-layer assembly of the plurality of GO nanosheets; and
forming a plurality of nanochannels between the plurality of GO nanosheets for allowing the flow of a fluid and for rejecting the flow of contaminants; and
cross-linking the plurality of GO nanosheets by 1,3,5-benzenetricarbonyl trichloride on a polysulfone support.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polysulfone support is a polydopamine coated polysulfone support.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of GO nanosheets are negatively charged over a wide pH range.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising electrostatically bonding the plurality of GO nanosheets.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein a structure, a charge, and a functionality of the plurality of GO nanosheets is tuned by using polyelectrolytes.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein lateral sizes of the plurality of GO nanosheets vary between 100 and 5000 nm.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the plurality of GO nanosheets varies between 1 and 2 nm.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the stacking results in at least a portion of the plurality of GO nanosheets being arranged in a non-overlapping manner.
9. A method for synthesizing a water purification membrane, the method comprising:
stacking a plurality of graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets to create the water purification membrane, the stacking involving layer-by-layer assembly of the plurality of GO nanosheets;
electrostatically bonding the plurality of GO nanosheets; and
forming a plurality of nanochannels between the plurality of GO nanosheets for allowing the flow of a fluid and for rejecting the flow of contaminants,
wherein a structure, a charge, and a functionality of the plurality of GO nanosheets is tuned by using a polyelectrolyte, and
wherein the plurality of GO nanosheets are negatively-charged over a wide pH range, and wherein the polyelectrolyte is positively-charged over a wide pH range.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the polyelectrolyte is polyethyleneimine (PEI).
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the polyelectrolyte is poly-L-lysine (PLL) poly-L-lysine (PLL).
12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the polyelectrolyte is polyallylamine hydrochloride (PAH).
13. The method of claim 9 , wherein stacking the plurality of GO nanosheets further comprises stacking the plurality of negatively-charged GO nanosheets and the plurality of GO nanosheets tuned by using the positively-charged polyelectrolyte alternatingly.
14. The method of claim 9 , wherein lateral sizes of the plurality of GO nanosheets vary between 100 and 5000 nm.
15. The method of claim 9 , wherein a thickness of the plurality of GO nanosheets varies between 1 and 2 nm.
16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the stacking results in at least a portion of the plurality of GO nanosheets being arranged in a non-overlapping manner.