Molybdenum Disulfide and Tungsten
Disulfide as Novel Two-Dimensional
Nanomaterials in Separation Science
Mateus H. Köhler, João P. K. Abal, Gabriel V. Soares,
and Marcia C. Barbosa
Abstract Beyond graphene-based membranes, for water desalination, a vast horizon
of new materials has been discovered for solutes separation from water. In this realm,
the transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) molybdenum and tungsten disulfide
(MoS 2 and WS 2 , respectively) stand as promising two-dimensional (2D) materials.
Their tailoring for nanofluidics as well as the emerging synthesis and production
methods unfold the possibility of applying MoS 2 and WS 2 in modern desalination
processes based on 2D membranes. We present here an overview from their theoretical conception to their state-of-the-art applications, highlighting the challenges
and opportunities associated with measuring water flow and ionic rejection rates at
nanoscale. In a world full of environmental concerns, both the theoretical gaps and
experimental perspectives point toward a promising use of MoS 2 and WS 2 as green
components in separation technologies, contributing to increase the availability of
clean, potable water.
Keywords Transition metal dichalcogenides · Molybdenum disulfide · Tungsten
disulfide · Desalination
1 Introduction
Since the very beginning of this century, we have witnessed a race to shrink the dimensions of fluidic devices to the nanometer scale. The use of nanotubes or nanopores
made new discoveries on fluid transport possible, putting even classical hydrodynamics in check [1]. In fact, two-dimensional (2D) materials were not even considered beyond the desks of physicists and chemists until quite recently with the rise
M. H. Köhler (B)
Department of Physics, Federal University of Santa Maria, 97105-900 Santa Maria, Brazil
e-mail: mateus.kohler@ufsm.br
J. P. K. Abal · G. V. Soares · M. C. Barbosa
Institute of Physics, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, Brazil
© 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_8
193
Disulfide as Novel Two-Dimensional
Nanomaterials in Separation Science
Mateus H. Köhler, João P. K. Abal, Gabriel V. Soares,
and Marcia C. Barbosa
Abstract Beyond graphene-based membranes, for water desalination, a vast horizon
of new materials has been discovered for solutes separation from water. In this realm,
the transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) molybdenum and tungsten disulfide
(MoS 2 and WS 2 , respectively) stand as promising two-dimensional (2D) materials.
Their tailoring for nanofluidics as well as the emerging synthesis and production
methods unfold the possibility of applying MoS 2 and WS 2 in modern desalination
processes based on 2D membranes. We present here an overview from their theoretical conception to their state-of-the-art applications, highlighting the challenges
and opportunities associated with measuring water flow and ionic rejection rates at
nanoscale. In a world full of environmental concerns, both the theoretical gaps and
experimental perspectives point toward a promising use of MoS 2 and WS 2 as green
components in separation technologies, contributing to increase the availability of
clean, potable water.
Keywords Transition metal dichalcogenides · Molybdenum disulfide · Tungsten
disulfide · Desalination
1 Introduction
Since the very beginning of this century, we have witnessed a race to shrink the dimensions of fluidic devices to the nanometer scale. The use of nanotubes or nanopores
made new discoveries on fluid transport possible, putting even classical hydrodynamics in check [1]. In fact, two-dimensional (2D) materials were not even considered beyond the desks of physicists and chemists until quite recently with the rise
M. H. Köhler (B)
Department of Physics, Federal University of Santa Maria, 97105-900 Santa Maria, Brazil
e-mail: mateus.kohler@ufsm.br
J. P. K. Abal · G. V. Soares · M. C. Barbosa
Institute of Physics, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, Brazil
© 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_8
193