Trilayer Interlinked Graphene Oxide Membrane for Wearable Hemodialyzer.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials show promise for high-permeability membranes.
• Current fabrication methods lack scalability and significant performance gains over existing membranes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a scalable and high-performance ultrathin graphene oxide (GO) membrane.
• To evaluate its efficacy in nanoparticle, biological separations, and blood dialysis.

Main Methods:

• A novel self-assembly process optimizing GO nanoplatelet properties.
• Fabrication of an ultrathin GO membrane with adjustable molecular interlinkers.
• Performance evaluation in blood dialysis, including sieving coefficients and biocompatibility tests.

Main Results:

• Achieved ultra-high permeability (1562 mL h⁻¹ mmHg⁻¹ m⁻²) and tight molecular weight cut-off.
• Demonstrated high selectivity, retaining 99% albumin while sieving urea (0.5) and cytochrome-c (0.4).
• Exhibited comparable or superior biocompatibility to existing dialysis membranes (hemolysis, complement activation, coagulation).

Conclusions:

• The developed GO membrane offers a promising solution for high-performance separation applications.
• Its tunable properties and excellent biocompatibility make it suitable for advanced nanofiltration and blood dialysis.
• This breakthrough addresses limitations in current membrane technology for practical use.