Ultrapermeable Atomically-Thin Membranes for Molecular Separations

Project Information

Graphene Membranes

Grant agreement ID: 659168

DOI

10.3030/659168

Project terminated on 4 November 2016

EC signature date 24 March 2015

Start date 1 October 2015

End date 31 December 2017

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 157 845,60

EU contribution

€ 157 845,60

Coordinated by

BILKENT UNIVERSITESI VAKIF
Türkiye

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - Graphene Membranes (Ultrapermeable Atomically-Thin Membranes for Molecular Separations)

Reporting period: 2015-10-01 to 2017-09-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Graphene membranes can provide extremely fast permeation due to their atomically-thin structure, promising very high energy efficiencies for many industrial separation processes, from gas separation to water desalination. However, technical problems regarding their scalability and controlled pore sizes at nm-scale hindered their applications. This project addresses these two particular problems and aims at obtaining cm-scale graphene membranes, as well as demonstrating controllable molecular sieving.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

In brief, the project was aimed at demonstrating both scalability (cm-scale) and functionality (molecular sieving). The experimental setups and methods developed from scratch at the host institution, yielding graphene membranes with 10-nm pores at sub-mm2 areas scattered around a cm-scale substrate, as well as 5-nm-pores at smaller membrane areas.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

1. A new transfer method based on photoresist sacrificial layers has been developed, enabling easy removal of the sacrificial layer, compared to the conventional PMMA layers.
2. A new technique based on e-beam-induced deposition of Pt around the pore rims has been developed, reducing the pore diameters down to 5 nm.

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