Using Al<sup>3+</sup> to Tailor Graphene Oxide Nanochannels: Impact on Membrane Stability and Permeability
Graphene oxide (GO) membranes, which form from the lamination of GO sheets, attract much attention due to their unique nanochannels. There is much interest in controlling the nanochannel structures and improving the aqueous stability of GO membranes so they can be effectively used in separation and...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Membranes |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0375/12/9/871 |
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| author | Yijing Y. Stehle Ellen J. Robertson Rebecca Cortez Ivan V. Vlassiouk Ronald B. Bucinell Katelyn Olsson Luke Kilby |
| author_facet | Yijing Y. Stehle Ellen J. Robertson Rebecca Cortez Ivan V. Vlassiouk Ronald B. Bucinell Katelyn Olsson Luke Kilby |
| author_sort | Yijing Y. Stehle |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Graphene oxide (GO) membranes, which form from the lamination of GO sheets, attract much attention due to their unique nanochannels. There is much interest in controlling the nanochannel structures and improving the aqueous stability of GO membranes so they can be effectively used in separation and filtration applications. This study employed a simple yet effective method of introducing trivalent aluminum cations to a GO sheet solution through the oxidation of aluminum foil, which modifies the nanochannels in the self-assembled GO membrane by increasing the inter-sheet distance while decreasing intra-sheet spacing. The Al<sup>3+</sup> modification resulted in an increase in membrane stability in water, methanol, ethanol, and propanol, yet decreased membrane permeability to water and propanol. These changes were attributed to strong interactions between Al<sup>3+</sup> and the membrane oxygenated functional groups, which resulted in an increase in membrane hydrophobicity and a decrease in the intra-sheet spacing as supported by surface tension, contact angle, atomic force microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements. Our approach for forming Al<sup>3+</sup> modified GO membranes provides a method for improving the aqueous stability and tailoring the permeation selectivity of GO membranes, which have the potential to be implemented in vapor separation and fuel purification applications. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T23:11:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0cb925ebc5f24494914618fcbc4ba37d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0375 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T23:11:23Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Membranes |
| spelling | doaj.art-0cb925ebc5f24494914618fcbc4ba37d2023-11-23T17:42:47ZengMDPI AGMembranes2077-03752022-09-0112987110.3390/membranes12090871Using Al<sup>3+</sup> to Tailor Graphene Oxide Nanochannels: Impact on Membrane Stability and PermeabilityYijing Y. Stehle0Ellen J. Robertson1Rebecca Cortez2Ivan V. Vlassiouk3Ronald B. Bucinell4Katelyn Olsson5Luke Kilby6Department of Mechanical Engineering, Union College, Schenectady, NY 12308, USAChemistry Department, Union College, Schenectady, NY 12308, USADepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Union College, Schenectady, NY 12308, USACenter for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USADepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Union College, Schenectady, NY 12308, USADepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Union College, Schenectady, NY 12308, USADepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Union College, Schenectady, NY 12308, USAGraphene oxide (GO) membranes, which form from the lamination of GO sheets, attract much attention due to their unique nanochannels. There is much interest in controlling the nanochannel structures and improving the aqueous stability of GO membranes so they can be effectively used in separation and filtration applications. This study employed a simple yet effective method of introducing trivalent aluminum cations to a GO sheet solution through the oxidation of aluminum foil, which modifies the nanochannels in the self-assembled GO membrane by increasing the inter-sheet distance while decreasing intra-sheet spacing. The Al<sup>3+</sup> modification resulted in an increase in membrane stability in water, methanol, ethanol, and propanol, yet decreased membrane permeability to water and propanol. These changes were attributed to strong interactions between Al<sup>3+</sup> and the membrane oxygenated functional groups, which resulted in an increase in membrane hydrophobicity and a decrease in the intra-sheet spacing as supported by surface tension, contact angle, atomic force microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements. Our approach for forming Al<sup>3+</sup> modified GO membranes provides a method for improving the aqueous stability and tailoring the permeation selectivity of GO membranes, which have the potential to be implemented in vapor separation and fuel purification applications.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0375/12/9/871graphene oxideAl<sup>3+</sup> modificationnanochannelpermeabilitystability |
| spellingShingle | Yijing Y. Stehle Ellen J. Robertson Rebecca Cortez Ivan V. Vlassiouk Ronald B. Bucinell Katelyn Olsson Luke Kilby Using Al<sup>3+</sup> to Tailor Graphene Oxide Nanochannels: Impact on Membrane Stability and Permeability Membranes graphene oxide Al<sup>3+</sup> modification nanochannel permeability stability |
| title | Using Al<sup>3+</sup> to Tailor Graphene Oxide Nanochannels: Impact on Membrane Stability and Permeability |
| title_full | Using Al<sup>3+</sup> to Tailor Graphene Oxide Nanochannels: Impact on Membrane Stability and Permeability |
| title_fullStr | Using Al<sup>3+</sup> to Tailor Graphene Oxide Nanochannels: Impact on Membrane Stability and Permeability |
| title_full_unstemmed | Using Al<sup>3+</sup> to Tailor Graphene Oxide Nanochannels: Impact on Membrane Stability and Permeability |
| title_short | Using Al<sup>3+</sup> to Tailor Graphene Oxide Nanochannels: Impact on Membrane Stability and Permeability |
| title_sort | using al sup 3 sup to tailor graphene oxide nanochannels impact on membrane stability and permeability |
| topic | graphene oxide Al<sup>3+</sup> modification nanochannel permeability stability |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0375/12/9/871 |
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