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Tong Y, Dai S, Jiang DE. 2D Carbonaceous Materials for Molecular Transport and Functional Interfaces: Simulations and Insights. Acc Chem Res 2024; 57:2678-2688. [PMID: 39190683 PMCID: PMC11411710 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.4c00398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
ConspectusCarbon-based two-dimensional (2D) functional materials exhibit potential across a wide spectrum of applications from chemical separations to catalysis and energy storage and conversion. In this Account, we focus on recent advances in the manipulation of 2D carbonaceous materials and their composites through computational design and simulations to address how the precise control over material structure at the atomic level correlates with enhanced functional properties such as gas permeation, selectivity, membrane transport, and charge storage. We highlight several key concepts in the computational design and tuning of 2D structures, such as controlled stacking, ion gating, interlayer pillaring, and heterostructure charge transfer.The process of creating and adjusting pores within graphene sheets is vital for effective molecular separation. Simulations show the power of controlling the offset distance between layers of porous graphene in precisely regulating the pore size to enhance gas separation and entropic selectivity. This strategy of controlled stacking extends beyond graphene to include covalent organic frameworks (COFs) such as covalent triazine frameworks (CTFs). Experimental assembly of the layers has been achieved through electrostatic interactions, thermal transformation, and control of side chain interactions.Graphene can interface with ionic liquids in various forms to enhance its functionality. A computational proof-of-concept showcases an ion-gating concept in which the interaction of anions with the pores in graphene allows the anions to dynamically gate the pores for selective gas transport. Realization of the concept has been achieved in both porous graphene and carbon molecular sieve membranes. Ionic liquids can also intercalate between graphene layers to form interlayer pillaring structures, opening the slit space. Grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations show that these structures can be used for efficient gas capture and separation. Experiments have demonstrated that the interlayer space can be tuned by the density of the pillars and that, when fully filled with ionic liquids and forming a confined interface structure, the graphene oxide membrane achieves much higher selectivity for gas separations. Moreover, graphene can interface with other 2D materials to form heterostructures where interfacial charge transfers take place and impact the function. Both ion transport and charge storage are influenced by both the local electric field and chemical interactions.Fullerene can be used as a building block and covalently linked together to construct a new type of 2D carbon material beyond a one-atom-thin layer that also has long-range-ordered subnanometer pores. The interstitial sites among fullerenes form funnel-shaped pores of 2.0-3.3 Å depending on the crystalline phase. The quasi-tetragonal phases are shown by molecular dynamics simulations to be efficient for H2 separation. In addition, defects such as fullerene vacancies can be introduced to create larger pores for the separation of organic solvents.In conclusion, the key to imputing functions to 2D carbonaceous materials is to create new interactions and interfaces and to go beyond a single-atom layer. First-principles and molecular simulations can further guide the discovery of new 2D carbonaceous materials and interfaces and provide atomistic insights into their functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujing Tong
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, United States
| | - Sheng Dai
- Chemical Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
| | - De-En Jiang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, United States
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2
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Guo J, Galliero G, Vermorel R. How Membrane Flexibility Impacts Permeation and Separation of Gas through Nanoporous Graphenes. NANO LETTERS 2024. [PMID: 39288238 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c03580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/19/2024]
Abstract
In recent years, extensive research has used molecular dynamics simulations to investigate gas separation through nanoporous graphene (NPG) membranes. However, most studies have considered graphene membranes as rigid, overlooking the impact of their inherent flexibility. This study systematically quantifies the effect of graphene flexibility on gas permeation by comparing the diffusion of various gases through flexible and rigid single-layer NPG models. The results demonstrate that flexibility notably increases permeance, particularly for gases with larger molecular diameters/pore size ratios, by allowing gas molecules greater mobility within the pore. Interestingly, the effect of flexibility boils down to the expansion of the average pore size, and the detail of the membrane's vibrational dynamics is of little importance in quantifying permeance. Our work shows that accounting for flexibility in molecular models improves the alignment of simulation results with experimental data, emphasizing the importance of considering membrane flexibility in predictive models of NPG membrane performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juncheng Guo
- Universite de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour, E2S UPPA, CNRS, LFCR, Pau 64013, France
| | - Guillaume Galliero
- Universite de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour, E2S UPPA, CNRS, LFCR, Pau 64013, France
| | - Romain Vermorel
- Universite de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour, E2S UPPA, CNRS, LFCR, Pau 64013, France
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3
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Zhou Z, Zhao K, Chi HY, Shen Y, Song S, Hsu KJ, Chevalier M, Shi W, Agrawal KV. Electrochemical-repaired porous graphene membranes for precise ion-ion separation. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4006. [PMID: 38740849 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48419-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
The preparation of atom-thick porous lattice hosting Å-scale pores is attractive to achieve a large ion-ion selectivity in combination with a large ion flux. Graphene film is an ideal selective layer for this if high-precision pores can be incorporated, however, it is challenging to avoid larger non-selective pores at the tail-end of the pore size distribution which reduces ion-ion selectivity. Herein, we develop a strategy to overcome this challenge using an electrochemical repair strategy that successfully masks larger pores in large-area graphene. 10-nm-thick electropolymerized conjugated microporous polymer (CMP) layer is successfully deposited on graphene, thanks to a strong π-π interaction in these two materials. While the CMP layer itself is not selective, it effectively masks graphene pores, leading to a large Li+/Mg2+ selectivity from zero-dimensional pores reaching 300 with a high Li+ ion permeation rate surpassing the performance of reported materials for ion-ion separation. Overall, this scalable repair strategy enables the fabrication of monolayer graphene membranes with customizable pore sizes, limiting the contribution of nonselective pores, and offering graphene membranes a versatile platform for a broad spectrum of challenging separations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zongyao Zhou
- Laboratory of Advanced Separations (LAS), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Sion, CH-1950, Switzerland
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, P. R. China
| | - Kangning Zhao
- Laboratory of Advanced Separations (LAS), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Sion, CH-1950, Switzerland
| | - Heng-Yu Chi
- Laboratory of Advanced Separations (LAS), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Sion, CH-1950, Switzerland
| | - Yueqing Shen
- Laboratory of Advanced Separations (LAS), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Sion, CH-1950, Switzerland
| | - Shuqing Song
- Laboratory of Advanced Separations (LAS), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Sion, CH-1950, Switzerland
| | - Kuang-Jung Hsu
- Laboratory of Advanced Separations (LAS), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Sion, CH-1950, Switzerland
| | - Mojtaba Chevalier
- Laboratory of Advanced Separations (LAS), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Sion, CH-1950, Switzerland
| | - Wenxiong Shi
- Institute for New Energy Materials and Low Carbon Technologies, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin, 300387, P. R. China
| | - Kumar Varoon Agrawal
- Laboratory of Advanced Separations (LAS), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Sion, CH-1950, Switzerland.
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4
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Yao Z, Li P, Chen K, Yang Y, Beyer A, Westphal M, Niu QJ, Gölzhäuser A. Defect-Healed Carbon Nanomembranes for Enhanced Salt Separation: Scalable Synthesis and Performance. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:22614-22621. [PMID: 38641328 PMCID: PMC11073045 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c00252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
Carbon nanomembranes (CNMs), with a high density of subnanometer channels, enable superior salt separation performance compared to conventional membranes. However, defects that occur during the synthesis and transfer processes impede their technical realization on a macroscopic scale. Here, we introduce a practical and scalable interfacial polymerization method to effectively heal defects while preserving the subnanometer pores within CNMs. The defect-healed freestanding CNMs show an exceptional performance in forward osmosis (FO), achieving a water flux of 105 L m-2 h-1 and a specific reverse salt flux of 0.1 g L-1 when measured with 1 M NaCl as draw solution. This water flux is 10 times higher than that of commercially available FO membranes, and the reverse salt flux is 70% lower. Through successful implementation of the defect-healing method and support optimization, we demonstrate the synthesis of fully functional, centimeter-scale CNM-based composite membranes showing high water permeance and a high salt rejection. Our defect-healing method presents a promising pathway to overcome limitations in CNM synthesis, advancing their potential for practical salt separation applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Yao
- Physics
of Supramolecular Systems and Surfaces, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld 33615, Germany
| | - Pengfei Li
- Physics
of Supramolecular Systems and Surfaces, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld 33615, Germany
- College
of Chemical Engineering, China University
of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, PR China
| | - Kuo Chen
- Physics
of Supramolecular Systems and Surfaces, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld 33615, Germany
- College
of Chemical Engineering, China University
of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, PR China
| | - Yang Yang
- Physics
of Supramolecular Systems and Surfaces, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld 33615, Germany
| | - André Beyer
- Physics
of Supramolecular Systems and Surfaces, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld 33615, Germany
| | - Michael Westphal
- Physics
of Supramolecular Systems and Surfaces, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld 33615, Germany
| | - Qingshan Jason Niu
- Institute
for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, PR China
| | - Armin Gölzhäuser
- Physics
of Supramolecular Systems and Surfaces, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld 33615, Germany
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5
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Luo W, Wang C, Li X, Liu J, Hou D, Zhang X, Huang G, Lu X, Li Y, Zhou T. Advancements in defect engineering of two-dimensional nanomaterial-based membranes for enhanced gas separation. Chem Commun (Camb) 2024; 60:3745-3763. [PMID: 38525977 DOI: 10.1039/d4cc00201f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
The advent of two-dimensional nanomaterials, a revolutionary class of materials, is marked by their atomic-scale thickness, superior aspect ratios, robust mechanical attributes, and exceptional chemical stability. These materials, producible on a large scale, are emerging as the forefront candidates in the domain of membrane-based gas separation. The concept of defect engineering in 2D nanomaterials has introduced a novel approach in their application for membrane separation, offering an effective technique to augment the performance of these membranes. Nonetheless, the development of customized microstructures in gas separation membranes via defect engineering remains nascent. Hence, this review is designed to serve as a comprehensive guide for the application of defect engineering in 2D nanomaterial-based membranes. It delves into the most recent developments in this field, encompassing the synthesis methodologies of defective 2D nanomaterials and the mechanisms underlying gas transport. Special emphasis is placed on the utilization of defect-engineered 2D nanomaterial-based membranes in gas capture applications. Furthermore, the paper encapsulates the burgeoning challenges and prospective advancements in this area. In essence, defect engineering emerges as a promising avenue for enhancing the efficacy of 2D nanomaterial-based membranes in gas separation, offering significant potential for advancements in membrane-based gas separation technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjia Luo
- Northwest Research Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Baiyin 730900, P. R. China. wjluo94.@126.com
| | - Changzheng Wang
- Northwest Research Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Baiyin 730900, P. R. China. wjluo94.@126.com
| | - Xueguo Li
- Baiyin Nonferrous Group Company Limited Copper Company, Baiyin 730900, P. R. China
| | - Jian Liu
- Northwest Research Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Baiyin 730900, P. R. China. wjluo94.@126.com
| | - Duo Hou
- Northwest Research Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Baiyin 730900, P. R. China. wjluo94.@126.com
| | - Xi Zhang
- Northwest Research Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Baiyin 730900, P. R. China. wjluo94.@126.com
| | - Guoxian Huang
- Northwest Research Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Baiyin 730900, P. R. China. wjluo94.@126.com
| | - Xingwu Lu
- Northwest Research Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Baiyin 730900, P. R. China. wjluo94.@126.com
| | - Yanlong Li
- Northwest Research Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Baiyin 730900, P. R. China. wjluo94.@126.com
| | - Tao Zhou
- Northwest Research Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, Baiyin 730900, P. R. China. wjluo94.@126.com
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6
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Zhao K, Lee WC, Rezaei M, Chi HY, Li S, Villalobos LF, Hsu KJ, Zhang Y, Wang FC, Agrawal KV. Tuning Pore Size in Graphene in the Angstrom Regime for Highly Selective Ion-Ion Separation. ACS NANO 2024. [PMID: 38320296 PMCID: PMC10883049 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c11068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Zero-dimensional pores spanning only a few angstroms in size in two-dimensional materials such as graphene are some of the most promising systems for designing ion-ion selective membranes. However, the key challenge in the field is that so far a crack-free macroscopic graphene membrane for ion-ion separation has not been realized. Further, methods to tune the pores in the Å-regime to achieve a large ion-ion selectivity from the graphene pore have not been realized. Herein, we report an Å-scale pore size tuning tool for single layer graphene, which incorporates a high density of ion-ion selective pores between 3.5 and 8.5 Å while minimizing the nonselective pores above 10 Å. These pores impose a strong confinement for ions, which results in extremely high selectivity from centimeter-scale porous graphene between monovalent and bivalent ions and near complete blockage of ions with the hydration diameter, DH, greater than 9.0 Å. The ion diffusion study reveals the presence of an energy barrier corresponding to partial dehydration of ions with the barrier increasing with DH. We observe a reversal of K+/Li+ selectivity at elevated temperature and attribute this to the relative size of the dehydrated ions. These results underscore the promise of porous two-dimensional materials for solute-solute separation when Å-scale pores can be incorporated in a precise manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kangning Zhao
- Laboratory of Advanced Separations (LAS), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Sion, CH-1950 Switzerland
| | - Wan-Chi Lee
- Laboratory of Advanced Separations (LAS), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Sion, CH-1950 Switzerland
| | - Mojtaba Rezaei
- Laboratory of Advanced Separations (LAS), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Sion, CH-1950 Switzerland
| | - Heng-Yu Chi
- Laboratory of Advanced Separations (LAS), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Sion, CH-1950 Switzerland
| | - Shaoxian Li
- Laboratory of Advanced Separations (LAS), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Sion, CH-1950 Switzerland
| | - Luis Francisco Villalobos
- Laboratory of Advanced Separations (LAS), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Sion, CH-1950 Switzerland
| | - Kuang-Jung Hsu
- Laboratory of Advanced Separations (LAS), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Sion, CH-1950 Switzerland
| | - Yuyang Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Modern Mechanics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Feng-Chao Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mechanical Behavior and Design of Materials, Department of Modern Mechanics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Kumar Varoon Agrawal
- Laboratory of Advanced Separations (LAS), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Sion, CH-1950 Switzerland
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7
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Kurtishaj A, Žumer M, Nemanič V, Cvelbar U. Addressing challenges with evaluating hydrogen-selective membrane performance by quadrupole mass spectrometry. JOURNAL OF MASS SPECTROMETRY : JMS 2024; 59:e5001. [PMID: 38305502 DOI: 10.1002/jms.5001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Hydrogen separation using nanostructured membranes has gained research attention because of its potential to produce high-purity hydrogen by separating gases at the molecular level. Quadrupole mass spectrometry (QMS) is one method to evaluate these membranes' effectiveness in separating hydrogen from gas mixtures. However, quantifying gases in a mixture with QMS is challenging, especially when heavier gas ions interfere with a light gas ion, resulting in lower quantification accuracy. This study addresses this challenge by presenting a detailed calibration procedure that significantly improves hydrogen quantification accuracy up to a factor of 2.5. CO and CO2 were chosen as interfering gases because they are commonly released in conventional hydrogen production processes. By carefully evaluating the performance of these membranes, new opportunities for hydrogen separation may be realized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ardita Kurtishaj
- Department of Gaseous Electronics (F6), Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Marko Žumer
- Department of Gaseous Electronics (F6), Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Vincenc Nemanič
- Department of Gaseous Electronics (F6), Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Uroš Cvelbar
- Department of Gaseous Electronics (F6), Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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8
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Kutagulla S, Le NH, Caldino Bohn IT, Stacy BJ, Favela CS, Slack JJ, Baker AM, Kim H, Shin HS, Korgel BA, Akinwande D. Comparative Studies of Atomically Thin Proton Conductive Films to Reduce Crossover in Hydrogen Fuel Cells. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:59358-59369. [PMID: 38103256 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c12650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
Hydrogen fuel cells based on proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) technology are promising as a source of clean energy to power a decarbonized future. However, PEMFCs are limited by a number of major inefficiencies; one of the most significant is hydrogen crossover. In this work, we comprehensively study the effects of two-dimensional (2D) materials applied to the anode side of the membrane as H2 barrier coatings on Nafion to reduce crossover effects on hydrogen fuel cells, while studying adverse effects on conductivity and catalyst performance in the beginning of life testing. The barrier layers studied include graphene, hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), amorphous boron nitride (aBN), and varying thicknesses of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), all chosen due to their expected stability in a fuel cell environment. Crossover mitigation in the materials studied ranges from 4.4% (1 nm MoS2) to 46.1% (graphene) as compared to Nafion 211. Effects on proton conductivity are also studied, suggesting high areal proton transport in materials previously thought to be effectively nonconductive, such as 2 nm MoS2 and amorphous boron nitride under the conditions studied. The results indicate that a number of 2D materials are able to improve crossover effects, with those coated with 8 nm MoS2 and 1 L graphene able to achieve greater crossover reduction while minimizing conductivity penalty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanmukh Kutagulla
- Texas Materials Institute, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78758, United States
| | - Nam Hoang Le
- Texas Materials Institute, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78758, United States
- Mc Ketta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78758, United States
| | - Isabel Terry Caldino Bohn
- Texas Materials Institute, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78758, United States
- Mc Ketta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78758, United States
| | - Benjamin J Stacy
- Texas Materials Institute, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78758, United States
- Mc Ketta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78758, United States
| | - Christopher S Favela
- Mc Ketta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78758, United States
| | - John J Slack
- Nikola Corporation, Phoenix, Arizona 85040-8803, United States
| | - Andrew M Baker
- Nikola Corporation, Phoenix, Arizona 85040-8803, United States
| | - Hyeongjoon Kim
- Department of Chemistry and Graduate School of Semiconductor Materials and Devices Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science & Technology, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyeon Suk Shin
- Department of Chemistry and Graduate School of Semiconductor Materials and Devices Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science & Technology, Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Brian A Korgel
- Texas Materials Institute, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78758, United States
- Mc Ketta Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78758, United States
| | - Deji Akinwande
- Texas Materials Institute, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78758, United States
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78758, United States
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9
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Zhang K, Lin R, Yan M, Wu Y. Click-chemistry synergic MXene-functionalized flexible skeleton membranes for accurate recognition and separation. J Colloid Interface Sci 2023; 652:2005-2016. [PMID: 37690308 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.09.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Membrane-based technology with accurate-recognition and specific-transmission has been regarded as one of the most promising strategies in environmental protection and energy conservation. However, membrane technique still faces challenges of "trade-off effect" between high selectivity and permeation flux within organic-aqueous mixed matrix. Here, well-intergrown click-chemistry synergic MXene-functionalized flexible skeleton membranes has been prepared in this strategy, enabling size-exclusion&structure selectivity by uniform location array imprinting unit and transport performance towards specific medicinal molecules of artemisinin (Ars). The well-assembled ultrathin cascade-type MXene layer guarantees the narrow interlayer nanochannels and the flexible skeleton modified mesoporous SiO2 nanoparticles provide active reaction platform for the construction of selective recognition space. The resulting membranes demonstrated outstanding selective separation performance with permeability factor that artesunate (Aru) /Ars and dihydro-artemisinin (d-Ars) / Ars of 3.17 and 2.89 and permeation flux of 1173.25 L·m-2·h-1·bar-1. Besides, combined with antibacterial durability, recycling performance, high separation performance in mobile phase stability of CMFMs, it is anticipated that this work hopefully opens a new avenue for efficient chiral separation to medicinal molecules, exhibiting broad potential for practical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaicheng Zhang
- Institute of Green Chemistry and Chemical Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Rongxin Lin
- Institute of Green Chemistry and Chemical Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Ming Yan
- Institute of Green Chemistry and Chemical Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Yilin Wu
- Institute of Green Chemistry and Chemical Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China.
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10
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Vahdat M, Li S, Huang S, Bondaz L, Bonnet N, Hsu KJ, Marzari N, Agrawal KV. Mechanistic Insights on Functionalization of Graphene with Ozone. THE JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY. C, NANOMATERIALS AND INTERFACES 2023; 127:22015-22022. [PMID: 38024196 PMCID: PMC10658624 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.3c03994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
The exposure of graphene to O3 results in functionalization of its lattice with epoxy, even at room temperature. This reaction is of fundamental interest for precise lattice patterning, however, is not well understood. Herein, using van der Waals density functional theory (vdW-DFT) incorporating spin-polarized calculations, we find that O3 strongly physisorbs on graphene with a binding energy of -0.46 eV. It configures in a tilted position with the two terminal O atoms centered above the neighboring graphene honeycombs. A dissociative chemisorption follows by surpassing an energy barrier of 0.75 eV and grafting an epoxy group on graphene reducing the energy of the system by 0.14 eV from the physisorbed state. Subsequent O3 chemisorption is preferred on the same honeycomb, yielding two epoxy groups separated by a single C-C bridge. We show that capturing the onset of spin in oxygen during chemisorption is crucial. We verify this finding with experiments where an exponential increase in the density of epoxy groups as a function of reaction temperature yields an energy barrier of 0.66 eV, in agreement with the DFT prediction. These insights will help efforts to obtain precise patterning of the graphene lattice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad
Tohidi Vahdat
- Laboratory
of Advanced Separations (LAS), École
Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Sion CH-1950, Switzerland
- Theory
and Simulation of Materials (THEOS) and National Centre for Computational
Design and Discovery of Novel Materials (MARVEL), EPFL, Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Shaoxian Li
- Laboratory
of Advanced Separations (LAS), École
Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Sion CH-1950, Switzerland
| | - Shiqi Huang
- Laboratory
of Advanced Separations (LAS), École
Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Sion CH-1950, Switzerland
| | - Luc Bondaz
- Laboratory
of Advanced Separations (LAS), École
Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Sion CH-1950, Switzerland
| | - Nicéphore Bonnet
- Theory
and Simulation of Materials (THEOS) and National Centre for Computational
Design and Discovery of Novel Materials (MARVEL), EPFL, Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Kuang-Jung Hsu
- Laboratory
of Advanced Separations (LAS), École
Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Sion CH-1950, Switzerland
| | - Nicola Marzari
- Theory
and Simulation of Materials (THEOS) and National Centre for Computational
Design and Discovery of Novel Materials (MARVEL), EPFL, Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Kumar Varoon Agrawal
- Laboratory
of Advanced Separations (LAS), École
Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Sion CH-1950, Switzerland
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Nalge DR, Karmakar T, Bhattacharya S, Balasubramanian KB. Thermodynamic Window for Size-Controlled Pore Formation in Graphene for Large-Scale Molecular Sieves. J Phys Chem Lett 2023; 14:9758-9765. [PMID: 37882468 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.3c02186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
Nanopores in graphene monolayers are a promising option for molecular separation applications, such as desalination and carbon capture. Graphene's atomic thickness allows for an optimal balance between molecular selectivity and permeability, while its chemical stability and robust mechanical properties make it appealing for a wide range of commercial applications. However, scaling to large areas with controlled pore size distribution is an open challenge in ultrathin membranes. Here, using first-principles calculations, we identify a suitable thermodynamic window in a chemical vapor deposition system for directly growing graphene monolayers with a controlled pore size distribution. As an example, our calculations show that a postgrowth annealing step with a supersaturation range of 19.7-25 kJ/mol at 1000 K results in the creation of a controllable pore density at graphene grain boundaries, with pore sizes falling within the range of 5-8 Å. Such pores isolate hydrated Cl ions from water molecules, effectively desalinating seawater. Thus, it allows the design of targeted synthesis of large-scale 2D layers for membrane applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Divij Ramesh Nalge
- Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, IIT Delhi Main Rd, IIT Campus, Hauz Khas, New Delhi,Delhi 110016, India
| | - Tarak Karmakar
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, IIT Delhi Main Rd, IIT Campus, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, Delhi 110016, India
| | - Saswata Bhattacharya
- Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, IIT Delhi Main Rd, IIT Campus, Hauz Khas, New Delhi,Delhi 110016, India
| | - Krishna Bharadwaj Balasubramanian
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, IIT Delhi Main Rd, IIT Campus, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, Delhi 110016, India
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12
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Bondaz L, Ronghe A, Li S, Čerņevičs K, Hao J, Yazyev OV, Ayappa KG, Agrawal KV. Selective Photonic Gasification of Strained Oxygen Clusters on Graphene for Tuning Pore Size in the Å Regime. JACS AU 2023; 3:2844-2854. [PMID: 37885574 PMCID: PMC10598578 DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.3c00395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Controlling the size of single-digit pores, such as those in graphene, with an Å resolution has been challenging due to the limited understanding of pore evolution at the atomic scale. The controlled oxidation of graphene has led to Å-scale pores; however, obtaining a fine control over pore evolution from the pore precursor (i.e., the oxygen cluster) is very attractive. Herein, we introduce a novel "control knob" for gasifying clusters to form pores. We show that the cluster evolves into a core/shell structure composed of an epoxy group surrounding an ether core in a bid to reduce the lattice strain at the cluster core. We then selectively gasified the strained core by exposing it to 3.2 eV of light at room temperature. This allowed for pore formation with improved control compared to thermal gasification. This is because, for the latter, cluster-cluster coalescence via thermally promoted epoxy diffusion cannot be ruled out. Using the oxidation temperature as a control knob, we were able to systematically increase the pore density while maintaining a narrow size distribution. This allowed us to increase H2 permeance as well as H2 selectivity. We further show that these pores could differentiate CH4 from N2, which is considered to be a challenging separation. Dedicated molecular dynamics simulations and potential of mean force calculations revealed that the free energy barrier for CH4 translocation through the pores was lower than that for N2. Overall, this study will inspire research on the controlled manipulation of clusters for improved precision in incorporating Å-scale pores in graphene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luc Bondaz
- Laboratory
of Advanced Separations, Institute of Chemical
Sciences & Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale
de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1950 Sion, Switzerland
| | - Anshaj Ronghe
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute
of Science, Bangalore 560012, India
| | - Shaoxian Li
- Laboratory
of Advanced Separations, Institute of Chemical
Sciences & Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale
de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1950 Sion, Switzerland
| | | | - Jian Hao
- Laboratory
of Advanced Separations, Institute of Chemical
Sciences & Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale
de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1950 Sion, Switzerland
| | - Oleg V. Yazyev
- Institute
of Physics, EPFL, Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - K. Ganapathy Ayappa
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute
of Science, Bangalore 560012, India
| | - Kumar Varoon Agrawal
- Laboratory
of Advanced Separations, Institute of Chemical
Sciences & Engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale
de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1950 Sion, Switzerland
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13
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Ferrari MC. Recent developments in 2D materials for gas separation membranes. Curr Opin Chem Eng 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.coche.2023.100905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
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14
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Patil D, Gupta T. Realizing high performance gas filters through nano-particle deposition. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2023; 25:9300-9310. [PMID: 36920157 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp03825k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/05/2023]
Abstract
We have studied the separation of a mixture of hydrogen and methane in equal proportions, using a thin film comprised of 10 layers of nanoparticles deposited layer-wise using our "two-point sticking algorithm" which simulates controlled agglomeration of such nanoparticles. We simulate the process of gas separation using LAMMPS. We have studied the scenario where nanoparticles act like hard spheres, maintaining their shape and size, similar to what has been demonstrated by experiments involving self-assembled nanoparticle thin films. We consider the pressure dependence of the results by working at 3 different initial pressures, 0.1 × P0, 0.5 × P0 and P0, where P0 is the atmospheric pressure. Three different diameters of the nanoparticles, namely 3 nm, 6 nm and 9 nm, are considered, and therefore the overall thickness of the membranes considered ranges from 30 nm to 90 nm. We obtained perm-selectivity values that are significantly higher than the Robeson line for hydrogen-methane gas separation, indicating the novelty and therefore the significant applications of this work. We find that while the permeance of hydrogen remains more or less steady with a ten-fold increase of pressure, the corresponding fall in methane's permeance is very sharp. The fall in methane's permeance with increasing pressure is more pronounced the smaller the nanoparticles of the membrane being used. This results in an even higher selectivity at higher pressure for smaller nanoparticle based membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhruva Patil
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, R. V. College of Engineering, Bangalore, 560059, India
| | - Tribikram Gupta
- Department of Physics, R. V. College of Engineering, Bangalore, 560059, India.
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15
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Liu Q, Chen M, Chen G, Liu G, Xu R, Jin W. Molecular design of two-dimensional graphdiyne membrane for selective transport of CO2 and H2 over CH4, N2, and CO. J Memb Sci 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2023.121557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
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16
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Two-dimensional materials for gas separation membranes. Curr Opin Chem Eng 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.coche.2023.100901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
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17
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Huang S, Villalobos LF, Li S, Vahdat MT, Chi HY, Hsu KJ, Bondaz L, Boureau V, Marzari N, Agrawal KV. In Situ Nucleation-Decoupled and Site-Specific Incorporation of Å-Scale Pores in Graphene Via Epoxidation. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2022; 34:e2206627. [PMID: 36271513 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202206627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Generating pores in graphene by decoupled nucleation and expansion is desired to achieve a fine control over the porosity, and is desired to advance several applications. Herein, epoxidation is introduced, which is the formation of nanosized epoxy clusters on the graphitic lattice as nucleation sites without forming pores. In situ gasification of clusters inside a transmission electron microscope shows that pores are generated precisely at the site of the clusters by surpassing an energy barrier of 1.3 eV. Binding energy predictions using ab initio calculations combined with the cluster nucleation theory reveal the structure of the epoxy clusters and indicate that the critical cluster is an epoxy dimer. Finally, it is shown that the cluster gasification can be manipulated to form Å-scale pores which then effectively sieve gas molecules based on their size. This decoupled cluster nucleation and pore formation will likely pave the way for an independent control of pore size and density.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiqi Huang
- Laboratory of Advanced Separations (LAS), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Sion, CH-1950, Switzerland
| | - Luis Francisco Villalobos
- Laboratory of Advanced Separations (LAS), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Sion, CH-1950, Switzerland
| | - Shaoxian Li
- Laboratory of Advanced Separations (LAS), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Sion, CH-1950, Switzerland
| | - Mohammad Tohidi Vahdat
- Laboratory of Advanced Separations (LAS), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Sion, CH-1950, Switzerland
- Theory and Simulation of Materials (THEOS) and National Centre for Computational Design and Discovery of Novel Materials (MARVEL), EPFL, Lausanne, CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Heng-Yu Chi
- Laboratory of Advanced Separations (LAS), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Sion, CH-1950, Switzerland
| | - Kuang-Jung Hsu
- Laboratory of Advanced Separations (LAS), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Sion, CH-1950, Switzerland
| | - Luc Bondaz
- Laboratory of Advanced Separations (LAS), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Sion, CH-1950, Switzerland
| | - Victor Boureau
- Interdisciplinary Center for Electron Microscopy, EPFL, Lausanne, CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Nicola Marzari
- Theory and Simulation of Materials (THEOS) and National Centre for Computational Design and Discovery of Novel Materials (MARVEL), EPFL, Lausanne, CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Kumar Varoon Agrawal
- Laboratory of Advanced Separations (LAS), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Sion, CH-1950, Switzerland
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