Carbon-doped metal oxide interfacial nanofilms for ultrafast and precise separation of molecules

作者：Bratin Sengupta, Qiaobei Dong, Rajan Khadka, Dinesh Behera, Ruizhe Yang, Jun Liu, Ji Jiang, Pawel Keblinski, Georges Belfort, Miao Yu · 发表于：Science · 年份：2023 · DOI：10.1126/science.adh2404 · 被引用次数：86 · 研究领域：Membrane Separation Technologies、Membrane Separation and Gas Transport、Nanopore and Nanochannel Transport Studies

Membranes with molecular-sized, high-density nanopores, which are stable under industrially relevant conditions, are needed to decrease energy consumption for separations. Interfacial polymerization has demonstrated its potential for large-scale production of organic membranes, such as polyamide desalination membranes. We report an analogous ultrafast interfacial process to generate inorganic, nanoporous carbon-doped metal oxide (CDTO) nanofilms for precise molecular separation. For a given pore size, these nanofilms have 2 to 10 times higher pore density (assuming the same tortuosity) than reported and commercial organic solvent nanofiltration membranes, yielding ultra-high solvent permeance, even if they are thicker. Owing to exceptional mechanical, chemical, and thermal stabilities, CDTO nanofilms with designable, rigid nanopores exhibited long-term stable and efficient organic separation under harsh conditions.