Tuneable graphene oxide membrane offers precise control of water
Researchers have succeeded in electrically controlling water flow through a graphene oxide membrane, an advance with applications in artificial biological systems, tissue engineering and filtration.
The breakthrough at Manchester University’s National Graphene Institute is reported in Nature.
The tuneable membranes have allowed the precise control of water flow by using an electrical current. The membranes can also be used to completely block water from passing through when required.
The team, led by Prof Rahul Nair, embedded conductive filaments within the electrically insulating graphene oxide membrane. An electric current passed through these nano-filaments created a large electric field which ionises the water molecules and controls the water transport through the graphene capillaries in the membrane.
Prof Nair said: “This new research allows us to precisely control water permeation, from ultrafast permeation to complete blocking. Our work opens up an avenue for further developing smart membrane technologies.
“Developing smart membranes that allow precise and reversible control of molecular permeation using external stimuli would be of intense interest for many areas of science; from physics and chemistry, to life-sciences. “
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