Separation of water using a membrane
AssigneeThe University of Manchester
InventorsRahul Nair, Peter Budd, Andre Geim
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Abstract
This invention relates to uses of graphene oxide, and in particular graphene oxide on a porous support, and a membrane comprising these materials. This invention also relates to methods of dehydration, which include vapour phase separation and pervaporation. Pervaporation is a method of separating mixtures of liquids using a membrane. Pervaporation consists of two basic steps: permeation of the permeate through the membrane and evaporation of the permeate from the other side of the membrane. Pervaporation is a mild which can be used to separate components which would not survive the comparatively harsh conditions needed for distillation (high temp, and/or low pressure).
Claims14
A method of separating water from a product, the method comprising:
- contacting a mixture of the water and the product with a first surface of a graphene oxide membrane, wherein the graphene oxide membrane comprises a layer of graphene oxide supported on a layer of a porous membrane;
- and wherein the layer of graphene oxide comprises a stack of a plurality of randomly oriented single molecular graphene oxide layers;
- removing the water from a second surface of the graphene oxide membrane.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.