Cell-Like Behaviors of Dynamic Graphene Bubbles with Fast Water Transport

Abstract

Ultrafast water transport in graphitic nanoenvironment is fundamentally important in the research of biomimetic membranes for potential applications in separation and energy. Yet, the form of graphitic nanostructures has not been fully explored with only carbon nanotubes and graphene nanochannels reported. Here, we fabricated dynamic graphene bubbles via strain engineering of chemical vapor deposition (CVD)-grown graphene on metal substrates. These graphene bubbles could switch between an inflated state and a deflated state continuously with the control of environmental moisture flow. It is demonstrated that water vapors transport through graphene wrinkles and condense inside graphene bubbles. The water transport rates across these graphene bubbles were calculated via dynamic Newton rings, which is comparable to that of carbon nanotubes and aquaporin. The discovery of dynamic graphene bubbles hosting the ability of fast water transport is helpful for an advanced understanding of the nanofluidic phenomenon and its future applications.