CAREER: A Few Layer Thin, Graphene-Based Membranes: Nanostructure Understanding, Permeation Mechanisms and Separation Applications

职业：几层薄石墨烯膜：纳米结构理解、渗透机制和分离应用

• 批准号: 1837813
• 负责人: Miao Yu
• 金额: $ 35.12万
• 依托单位: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2017
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2017-11-01 至 2021-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1837813&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: CAREER; Few; Layer; Thin; Graphene

1451887YuUniversity of Sourth Carolina at ColumbiaThe goal of this proposed research is to rationally design few layer thin (thickness 3 nm), graphene-based membranes, understand their nanostructures and permeation mechanisms, and study their potential for selective, high flux separation of a wide range of mixtures. This proposed research is expected to have great scientific as well as technological impact on mixture separations and has great potential to revolutionize separation using membrane technology. If successful, this new generation ultrathin membranes with tunable material properties, membrane nanostructures, and structural defects sizes will have wide applications for high throughput mixture separations, including gas separation, liquid mixture separation, and nanofiltration, etc., and thus greatly reduce energy cost in separations. It is anticipated that this study could serve as a model for the rational design of ultrathin, graphene-based membranes with tunable membrane performance. In addition, the obtained fundamental understanding and knowledge on graphene-based coating deposition and coating nanostructures may have potential impact on optoelectronics applications, such as touch screens and organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), energy storage, and photovoltaic cells. Ultrathin membranes with rationally designed and optimized nanostructures have great potential to achieve effective mixture separation with high throughput. The proposed research will focus on fabrication, nanostructure clarification, and separation study of a few layer thin, graphene-based membranes. The objectives of the proposed research are i) applying liquid phase deposition processes to controllably deposit a few layer thin, graphene-based membranes; ii) elucidating the nanostructures of fabricated membranes and correlating the deposition parameters with the resulting nanostructures; iii) understanding permeation mechanisms of molecules through the a few layer thin membranes and investigating various etching processes on controlling pore sizes; and iv) exploring the separation potential of a few layer thin, graphene-based membranes for various gas and liquid mixtures. We will deposit graphene oxide (GO) flakes with controlled properties on appropriate porous substrates by vacuum filtration, dip-coating, and casting-evaporation; employ both macroscopic and microscopic techniques to characterize the nanostructures of deposited thin coatings/membranes; explore molecular transport pathways through GO and reduced GO (rGO), including interlayer spacing and structural defects, by gas, vapor and liquid permeation; study the separation of mixtures by pressurized gas permeation, pervaporation and liquid filtration. The PI proposes the integration of research and education through advancement of the education of all students in the STEM fields with special emphasis on enhancing retention of minority students in this population. The PI has leveraged a number of existing programs at USC to provide organizational structure and to resource the various activities. Specifically, the PI plans(1) the development of a special topics graduate class in the study area, (2) try to recruit a GEM scholar as a PhD mentee, (3) host 2 URM undergraduate researchers per year, (4) participate in K-12 outreach organized by USC and develop a continuous relationship with one minority serving high school that will include 4 visits from the PI each year.

1451887于南卡罗来纳大学哥伦比亚分校这项拟议研究的目标是合理设计几层薄（厚度3纳米）石墨烯基膜，了解它们的纳米结构和渗透机制，并研究它们对各种物质进行选择性、高通量分离的潜力的混合物。 这项研究预计将对混合物分离产生巨大的科学和技术影响，并具有彻底改变膜技术分离的巨大潜力。如果成功，这种具有可调材料特性、膜纳米结构和结构缺陷尺寸的新一代超薄膜将在高通量混合物分离方面具有广泛的应用，包括气体分离、液体混合物分离和纳滤等，从而大大降低能源成本在分离中。预计这项研究可以作为合理设计具有可调膜性能的超薄石墨烯膜的模型。此外，对石墨烯基涂层沉积和涂层纳米结构的基本理解和知识可能对光电子应用产生潜在影响，例如触摸屏和有机发光二极管（OLED）、能量存储和光伏电池。 具有合理设计和优化的纳米结构的超薄膜具有实现高通量有效混合物分离的巨大潜力。拟议的研究将集中于几层石墨烯基薄膜的制造、纳米结构澄清和分离研究。拟议研究的目标是i）应用液相沉积工艺可控地沉积几层薄的石墨烯基膜； ii) 阐明制造的膜的纳米结构并将沉积参数与所得纳米结构相关联； iii) 了解分子通过几层薄膜的渗透机制并研究控制孔径的各种蚀刻工艺； iv) 探索几层石墨烯基薄膜对各种气体和液体混合物的分离潜力。我们将通过真空过滤、浸涂和浇铸蒸发将性能受控的氧化石墨烯（GO）薄片沉积在适当的多孔基材上；采用宏观和微观技术来表征沉积薄涂层/膜的纳米结构；通过气体、蒸气和液体渗透探索通过 GO 和还原 GO (rGO) 的分子传输途径，包括层间距和结构缺陷；研究通过加压气体渗透、渗​​透蒸发和液体过滤来分离混合物。 PI 建议通过提高 STEM 领域所有学生的教育来实现研究和教育的一体化，特别强调提高少数族裔学生的保留率。 PI 利用南加州大学的许多现有计划来提供组织结构并为各种活动提供资源。具体来说，PI计划（1）在研究领域发展专题研究生班，（2）尝试招募GEM学者作为博士生，（3）每年接待2名URM本科研究人员，（4）参与参加南加州大学组织的 K-12 外展活动，并与一所少数族裔在读高中建立持续的关系，其中包括每年 PI 的 4 次访问。