Membranes with functionalized carbon nanotube pores for selective transport
AssigneesThe Regents of the University of California, Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC
InventorsOlgica Bakajin, Aleksandr Noy, Francesco Fornasiero, Hyung Gyu Park, Sangil Kim
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Abstract
Provided herein composition and methods for nanoporous membranes comprising single walled, double walled, or multi-walled carbon nanotubes embedded in a matrix material. Average pore size of the carbon nanotube can be 6 nm or less. These membranes are a robust platform for the study of confined molecular transport, with applications in liquid and gas separations and chemical sensing including desalination, dialysis, and fabric formation.
Claims21
A process for the preparation of a membrane of selective permeability, said process comprising:
- (a) wetting with a first liquid phase a microporous support that is wettable by said first liquid phase, said first liquid phase having dissolved therein a first polymerizable species;
- (b) contacting said microporous support thus wetted with a second liquid phase that is at least partially immiscible with said first liquid phase and in which is dissolved a second polymerizable species, one or both of said first and second liquid phases having carbon nanotubes randomly dispersed therein of an average length;
- (c) causing said first and second polymerizable species to form a layer of a solid polymer over an outer surface of said microporous support;
- (d) sealing said layer to form a substantially continuous barrier around said nanotubes, said barrier having a thickness that is less than said average length of said nanotubes;
- and
- (e) recovering from said first and second liquid phases said microporous support with said layer adhering to said outer surface.
A process for the preparation of a membrane of selective permeability, said process comprising:
- (a) wetting with an aqueous phase a microporous support selected from polysulfone or polyethersulfone that is wettable by said aqueous phase, said aqueous phase having dissolved therein m-phenylenediamine;
- (b) contacting said microporous support thus wetted with a solvent phase that is at least partially immiscible with said aqueous phase and in which is dissolved trimesoyl chloride, one or both of said aqueous and solvent phases having carbon nanotubes randomly dispersed therein of an average length;
- (c) causing said m-phenylenediamine and trimesoyl chloride to form a layer of a solid polymer over an outer surface of said microporous support;
- (d) sealing said layer to form a substantially continuous barrier around said nanotubes, said barrier having a thickness that is less than said average length of said nanotubes;
- and
- (e) recovering from said aqueous and solvent phases said microporous support with said layer adhering to said outer surface.
A membrane with embedded carbon nanotubes, said membrane comprising a plurality of carbon nanotubes open at both ends and embedded in a solid, substantially continuous polymeric matrix, said polymeric matrix having a thickness that is less than an average of the lengths of said carbon nanotubes, said carbon nanotubes having substantially random orientations relative to said membrane and yet oriented such that at least a portion of said plurality of carbon nanotubes have both open ends protruding from said membrane to provide fluid communication through said membrane.
A method for desalination of water, said method comprising passing said water through a membrane comprising a plurality of nanotubes open at both ends and embedded in a solid, substantially continuous polymeric matrix, said polymeric matrix having a thickness that is less than an average of the lengths of said nanotubes, said nanotubes having substantially random orientations relative to said membrane and yet oriented such that at least a portion of said plurality of nanotubes have both open ends protruding from said membrane to provide fluid communication through said membrane.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.