We obtained several groundbreaking research results during the project. First, we developed a new form of graphene oxide membrane that can filter organic solvents without compromising its ability to sieve out the smallest of particles. Previously graphene-oxide membranes were shown to be completely impermeable to all solvents except for water. Out studies changed that perception and allowed for expansion in the applications of graphene-based membranes from water filtration to organic solvent nanofiltration (OSN). Second, we achieved a long-sought-after objective of electrically controlling water flow through membranes. Our research demonstrates precise control of water flow through graphene oxide membrane by using an electrical current. This research opens up an avenue for developing smart membrane technologies and has the potential to revolutionise the field of artificial biological systems, tissue engineering and filtration. Third, we made a leap forward in overcoming one of the biggest problems in membrane technology- membrane fouling. Fouling is an inevitable event in membrane separation, where blockages occur in the pores of a membrane, stopping the flow and preventing the membrane from functioning normally. Fouling is an especially severe issue for oil separation technology due to how easily the oil droplets stick onto the membrane surface. We demonstrated that the exfoliated two-dimensional form of vermiculite, a natural clay mineral, can be used as a fouling-resistant coating for oil-water separation. Fourth, we developed a new method to synthesize 2D materials that are thought to be impossible or, at least, unobtainable by current technologies. By using chemical conversion, we were able to convert layers of existing layered materials into a new covalent two-dimensional material. As an example, mechanically exfoliated 2D indium selenide (InSe) is converted into atomically thin indium fluoride (InF3), which has a non-layered structure and therefore cannot possibly be obtained by exfoliation, by a fluorination process. Our work provides a significant advance in materials science and is a clear milestone in the development of artificial 2D materials. We have also found a novel method to create 2D palladium sheets by a self-limiting growth of palladium inside graphene oxide nano capillaries. Fifth, we developed a novel yet simple method for producing vertical stacks of alternating superconductor and insulator layers of tantalum disulphide (TaS2). Our work describes the synthesis of a bulk van der Waals heterostructure consisting of alternating atomic layers of 1T and 1H TaS2. 1T and 1H TaS2 are different polymorphs (materials with the same chemical composition but with a variation in atomic arrangement) of TaS2 with completely different properties – the former insulating, the latter superconducting at low temperatures.
