Electrically Modulated Nanofiltration Membrane Based on an Arch-Bridged Graphene Structure for Multicomponent...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Tunable molecular penetration through porous membranes is crucial for pharmaceutical and medical applications.
• Graphene-based membranes often require additional components for responsiveness, limiting their practical use.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop electrically tunable reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanofiltration membranes.
• To demonstrate voltage-controlled molecular separation and multicomponent separation capabilities.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of arch-bridged reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanofiltration membranes.
• Application of an external voltage (5 V) to modulate membrane properties.
• Characterization of molecular rejection using organic/anionic molecules and cationic/anionic dyes.
• Investigation of separation mechanisms including Donnan repulsion and size exclusion.

Main Results:

• The rGO membrane exhibited tunable molecular rejection based on applied voltage.
• Complete rejection of organic/anionic molecules was achieved at 5 V.
• Positive-charge-modified rGO membranes showed universal rejection of cationic and anionic dyes.
• Efficient electrical modulation was attributed to synergistic Donnan repulsion and size exclusion effects.
• Multicomponent separation was successfully demonstrated.

Conclusions:

• Electrically modulated rGO membranes offer precise control over molecular transport.
• The developed membranes show significant potential for applications in pharmaceutical industries and advanced separations.