Porous Graphene Membranes for Solute
Separation via Reverse Osmosis
and Electrodialysis
Chengzhen Sun, Mei Liu, Hassan, and Bofeng Bai
Abstract Graphene, the thinnest material known to science, is a very promising
candidate for separation membranes with ultra-high molecular permeance. It has
been widely demonstrated that nanoporous graphene membranes have a great potential for solute separation. In this chapter, the recent advances on the nanoporous
graphene membranes for the application in water purification via reverse osmosis
and electrodialysis are both reviewed. The separation mechanisms and fabrication
methods of this atomically thick membrane are especially discussed by highlighting
the representative theoretical and experimental works. Currently, the studies on the
porous graphene membranes via electrodialysis are relatively limited comparing to
those of reverse osmosis. It is expected that more and more researchers are attracted
to this frontier research field to make the two-dimensional membranes for water
purification a reality by overcoming the challenges faced currently.
Keywords Porous graphene · Membrane · Water purification · Reverse osmosis ·
Electrodialysis
1 Introduction
Porous graphene has been proved by researchers among the most suitable and efficient water purification membranes in different desalination and water treatment
technologies due to its encouraging results [1–3]. It has a two-dimensional (2D)
hexagonal structure [4], stable chemical structure [5], high mechanical strength [6],
high water flux and high selectivity with suitable pore size and specific pore chemical
properties [4, 7, 8]. Pristine graphene sheets are impermeable to the smallest atoms
like helium, but they allow protons to pass through [9]. By removing certain carbon
atoms, the formation of selective nanopore makes graphene a promising molecular
C. Sun (B) · M. Liu · Hassan · B. Bai
State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Flow in Power Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University,
Shaanxi 710049, China
e-mail: sun-cz@xjtu.edu.cn
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
R. Das (ed.), Two-Dimensional (2D) Nanomaterials in Separation Science,
Springer Series on Polymer and Composite Materials,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-72457-3_6
145
Separation via Reverse Osmosis
and Electrodialysis
Chengzhen Sun, Mei Liu, Hassan, and Bofeng Bai
Abstract Graphene, the thinnest material known to science, is a very promising
candidate for separation membranes with ultra-high molecular permeance. It has
been widely demonstrated that nanoporous graphene membranes have a great potential for solute separation. In this chapter, the recent advances on the nanoporous
graphene membranes for the application in water purification via reverse osmosis
and electrodialysis are both reviewed. The separation mechanisms and fabrication
methods of this atomically thick membrane are especially discussed by highlighting
the representative theoretical and experimental works. Currently, the studies on the
porous graphene membranes via electrodialysis are relatively limited comparing to
those of reverse osmosis. It is expected that more and more researchers are attracted
to this frontier research field to make the two-dimensional membranes for water
purification a reality by overcoming the challenges faced currently.
Keywords Porous graphene · Membrane · Water purification · Reverse osmosis ·
Electrodialysis
1 Introduction
Porous graphene has been proved by researchers among the most suitable and efficient water purification membranes in different desalination and water treatment
technologies due to its encouraging results [1–3]. It has a two-dimensional (2D)
hexagonal structure [4], stable chemical structure [5], high mechanical strength [6],
high water flux and high selectivity with suitable pore size and specific pore chemical
properties [4, 7, 8]. Pristine graphene sheets are impermeable to the smallest atoms
like helium, but they allow protons to pass through [9]. By removing certain carbon
atoms, the formation of selective nanopore makes graphene a promising molecular
C. Sun (B) · M. Liu · Hassan · B. Bai
State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Flow in Power Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University,
Shaanxi 710049, China
e-mail: sun-cz@xjtu.edu.cn
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
R. Das (ed.), Two-Dimensional (2D) Nanomaterials in Separation Science,
Springer Series on Polymer and Composite Materials,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-72457-3_6
145