Three-Dimensional and Lamellar
Graphene Oxide Membranes for Water
Purification
Mateus H. Köhler, Mayara B. Leão, José Rafael Bordin,
and Carolina F. de Matos
Abstract Graphene oxide (GO) is one of the most prominent nanoscaled membranes
for water purification. Thanks to a combination of massive theoretical and experimental efforts, large-scale production of both three-dimensional (3D) and lamellar
GO membranes is at hand. Countless methods to synthesize, functionalize, and characterize GO membranes are available, which inspire tremendous excitement about
the possibilities of increasing the efficiency of current reverse osmosis (RO) desalination plants. Here, we reveal some of the main physical–chemical insights as well as
manufacturing techniques of GO, reduced GO, and related material-based separation
techniques.
Keywords Graphene oxide · Lamellar membrane · Solute separation · Water
purification
1 Introduction
The misuse of freshwater supplies in the last century has led humanity to face considerable challenges to prevent water scarcity. According to the United Nations World
Water Development Report [1], nearly half of the world population suffers from
water stress, a problem that affects people even in developed countries. The amount
of available clean water is vanishing at an unprecedented rate, leading to environmental, health, geopolitical, and humanitarian issues. Sadly, the projections are not
optimistic—the freshwater crisis will get worse in the next decades due to factors such
M. H. Köhler (B)
Department of Physics, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria 97105-900, Brazil
e-mail: mateus.kohler@ufsm.br
M. B. Leão · C. F. de Matos
Campus Caçapava do Sul, Universidade Federal do Pampa, Caçapava do Sul 96570-000, Brazil
J. R. Bordin
Department of Physics, Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Federal University of Pelotas,
Capão do Leão 96050-500, 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_4
87
Graphene Oxide Membranes for Water
Purification
Mateus H. Köhler, Mayara B. Leão, José Rafael Bordin,
and Carolina F. de Matos
Abstract Graphene oxide (GO) is one of the most prominent nanoscaled membranes
for water purification. Thanks to a combination of massive theoretical and experimental efforts, large-scale production of both three-dimensional (3D) and lamellar
GO membranes is at hand. Countless methods to synthesize, functionalize, and characterize GO membranes are available, which inspire tremendous excitement about
the possibilities of increasing the efficiency of current reverse osmosis (RO) desalination plants. Here, we reveal some of the main physical–chemical insights as well as
manufacturing techniques of GO, reduced GO, and related material-based separation
techniques.
Keywords Graphene oxide · Lamellar membrane · Solute separation · Water
purification
1 Introduction
The misuse of freshwater supplies in the last century has led humanity to face considerable challenges to prevent water scarcity. According to the United Nations World
Water Development Report [1], nearly half of the world population suffers from
water stress, a problem that affects people even in developed countries. The amount
of available clean water is vanishing at an unprecedented rate, leading to environmental, health, geopolitical, and humanitarian issues. Sadly, the projections are not
optimistic—the freshwater crisis will get worse in the next decades due to factors such
M. H. Köhler (B)
Department of Physics, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria 97105-900, Brazil
e-mail: mateus.kohler@ufsm.br
M. B. Leão · C. F. de Matos
Campus Caçapava do Sul, Universidade Federal do Pampa, Caçapava do Sul 96570-000, Brazil
J. R. Bordin
Department of Physics, Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Federal University of Pelotas,
Capão do Leão 96050-500, 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_4
87