Designing the Next Generation of Chemical Separation Membranes

Gin, Douglas L.; Noble, Richard D.

doi:10.1126/science.1203771

Cited by 707 publications

(434 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…The ready synthetic availability and modifiability of many shape-persistent macrocycles offer molecular-level controllability and tunability on the self-assembling nanotubes, which should lead to a variety of novel organic nanotubes with inner pores of defined widths and tunable properties. These discrete nanoporous structures, which are beyond the reach of current fabrication methods, may lead to the discovery of additional unique and unusual functions expected of the nanometer and subnanometer size regime and thus provide new opportunities for fields such as chemical and biological separation, sensing, and catalysis 52 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Self-assembling subnanometer pores with unusual mass-transport properties

et al. 2012

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A long-standing aim in molecular self-assembly is the development of synthetic nanopores capable of mimicking the mass-transport characteristics of biological channels and pores. Here we report a strategy for enforcing the nanotubular assembly of rigid macrocycles in both the solid state and solution based on the interplay of multiple hydrogen-bonding and aromatic π − π stacking interactions. The resultant nanotubes have modifiable surfaces and inner pores of a uniform diameter defined by the constituent macrocycles. The self-assembling hydrophobic nanopores can mediate not only highly selective transmembrane ion transport, unprecedented for a synthetic nanopore, but also highly efficient transmembrane water permeability. These results establish a solid foundation for developing synthetically accessible, robust nanostructured systems with broad applications such as reconstituted mimicry of defined functions solely achieved by biological nanostructures, molecular sensing, and the fabrication of porous materials required for water purification and molecular separations.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Self-assembling subnanometer pores with unusual mass-transport properties

et al. 2012

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“…18 Such promising features make multilayer GO structure an ideal candidate for the production of advanced ionic and molecular sieving membranes for desalination. 1,4, [53][54][55][56] Theoretical considerations. According to molecular simulations, water flows at a very high rate in planar graphene nanochannels because of the very large slip length and low friction on graphene sheets.…”

Section: Multilayer Graphene Desalination Membranesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Graphene membranes for water desalination

2017

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Extensive environmental pollution caused by worldwide industrialization and population growth has led to a water shortage. This problem lowers the quality of human life and wastes a large amount of money worldwide each year due to the related consequences. One main solution for this challenge is water purification. State-of-the-art water purification necessitates the implementation of novel materials and technologies that are cost and energy efficient. In this regard, graphene nanomaterials, with their unique physicochemical properties, are an optimum choice. These materials offer extraordinarily high surface area, mechanical durability, atomic thickness, nanosized pores and reactivity toward polar and non-polar water pollutants. These characteristics impart high selectivity and water permeability, and thus provide excellent water purification efficiency. This review introduces the potential of graphene membranes for water desalination. Although literature reviews have mostly concerned graphene's capability for the adsorption and photocatalysis of water pollutants, updated knowledge related to its sieving properties is quite limited. NPG Asia Materials (2017) 9, e427; doi:10.1038/am.2017.135; published online 25 August 2017 INTRODUCTION Currently,~1.2 billion people around the world are suffering from a shortage of water and its adverse consequences on health, food and energy. 1,2 On one hand, population growth, increased industrialization and greater energy needs and, on the other hand, loss of snowmelt, shrinkage of glaciers and so on will worsen this situation in upcoming years. As estimated by the world water council, the number of affected people will rise to 3.9 billion in the coming decades. 2,3 One of the most promising approaches to alleviate the water shortage, desalination can increase the water supply beyond what is available from the hydrological cycle. 4 Seawater desalination indeed provides an infinite, steady supply of high-quality water that does not harm natural freshwater ecosystems.Seawater comprises a vast supply of water (97.5% of all water on the planet). Thus, the growth of the installation of seawater desalination facilities in the past decade to circumvent water shortage problems in water-stressed countries has progressed quickly. In 2016, the global water production by desalination was estimated to be 38 billion cubic meter per year, that is, two times higher than that in 2008. 5 So far, seawater desalination has been mainly performed via multistage flash distillation and reverse osmosis (RO). 6 Mostly in the arid Persian Gulf countries, desalination plants perform based on heating and then condensing seawater. This kind of desalination plant consumes large amounts of thermal and electric energy, thus emitting greenhouse gases extensively. 7 In addition to this non-economical and non-ecofriendly version of desalination plants, the main type of desalination plants constructed in the past two decades, as well as future planned ones, are based on RO technology (Figure 1). 8

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“…M embrane-separation technology has become a promising alternative to conventional energy-intensive separation processes such as distillation or absorption in a variety of applications including natural gas sweetening, hydrogen recovery and production, carbon dioxide separation from flue gas and air separation 1 . Over the past decade, significant progress has been made in molecular sieving materials such as zeolites 2,3 , silica 4 , metal organic frameworks 5 and carbon-based membranes [6][7][8] .…”

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confidence: 99%

Polymeric molecular sieve membranes via in situ cross-linking of non-porous polymer membrane templates

et al. 2014

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High-performance polymeric membranes for gas separation are attractive for molecular-level separations in industrial-scale chemical, energyand environmental processes. Molecular sieving materials are widely regarded as the next-generation membranes to simultaneously achieve high permeability and selectivity. However, most polymeric molecular sieve membranes are based on a few solution-processable polymers such as polymers of intrinsic microporosity. Here we report an in situ cross-linking strategy for the preparation of polymeric molecular sieve membranes with hierarchical and tailorable porosity. These membranes demonstrate exceptional performance as molecular sieves with high gas permeabilities and selectivities for smaller gas molecules, such as carbon dioxide and oxygen, over larger molecules such as nitrogen. Hence, these membranes have potential for large-scale gas separations of commercial and environmental relevance. Moreover, this strategy could provide a possible alternative to 'classical' methods for the preparation of porous membranes and, in some cases, the only viable synthetic route towards certain membranes.

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Designing the Next Generation of Chemical Separation Membranes

Abstract: New materials can be prepared as membranes that may allow their performance to beat long-standing limits.

Cited by 707 publications

References 14 publications

Self-assembling subnanometer pores with unusual mass-transport properties

Self-assembling subnanometer pores with unusual mass-transport properties

Graphene membranes for water desalination

Polymeric molecular sieve membranes via in situ cross-linking of non-porous polymer membrane templates

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