Enhanced Stability of Laminated Graphene Oxide Membranes for Nanofiltration via Interstitial Amide Bonding

Abstract

Laminated graphene oxide (GO) has promising use as a membrane because of its high permeance, chemical and mechanical stability, as well as the molecular sieving effect of its interlayers. However, the hydrophilic surface of GO, which is highly decorated with oxygen groups, easily induces delamination of stacked GO films in aqueous media, thereby limiting the practical application. To stabilize GO films in aqueous media, we functionalized a polymer support with branched polyethylene-imine (BPEI). BPEI adsorbed intercalated into the stacked GO sheets via diffusion during filtration. The GO/BPEI membrane obtained exhibits high stability during sonication (>1 h duration, 40 kHz frequency) in water within a broad pH range (2-12). In contrast, the GO film spontaneously delaminated upon sonication. Furthermore, BPEI treatment did not affect the filtration performance of the GO film, as evidenced by the high rejection rates (>90%) for the dye molecules methylene blue, rose bengal, and brilliant blue and by their permeation rates of ca. 124, 34.8, 12.2, and 5.1%, respectively, relative to those of a typical GO membrane.