School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
Singapore Membrane Technology Centre, Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 637141, Singapore.
Small. 2020 Dec;16(50):e2003400. doi: 10.1002/smll.202003400. Epub 2020 Nov 20.
2D materials have shown high potentials for fabricating next-generation membranes. To date, extensive studies have focused on the applications of 2D material membranes in gas and aqueous media. Recently, compelling opportunities emerge for 2D material membranes in separation applications in organic solvents because of their unique properties, such as ultrathin mono- to few-layers, outstanding chemical resistance toward organic solvents. Hence, this review aims to provide a timely overview of the current state-of-the-art of 2D material membranes focusing on their applications in organic solvent separations. 2D material membranes fabricated using graphene materials and a few representative nongraphene-based 2D materials, including covalent organic frameworks and MXenes, are summarized. The key membrane design strategies and their effects on separation performances in organic solvents are also examined. Last, several perspectives are provided in terms of the critical challenges for 2D material membranes, including standardization of membrane performance evaluation, improving understandings of separation mechanisms, managing the trade-off of permeability and selectivity, issues related to application versatility, long-term stability, and fabrication scalability. This review will provide a useful guide for researchers in creating novel 2D material membranes for advancing new separation techniques in organic solvents.
二维材料在制造下一代膜方面显示出了巨大的潜力。迄今为止，广泛的研究集中在二维材料膜在气体和水介质中的应用上。最近，由于其独特的性质，如超薄的单层到少数层、对有机溶剂的出色耐化学性，二维材料膜在有机溶剂分离应用中出现了引人注目的机会。因此，本综述旨在及时概述二维材料膜在有机溶剂分离中的应用，重点介绍其最新进展。综述了使用石墨烯材料和少数几种代表性的非石墨烯二维材料（包括共价有机骨架和 MXenes）制造的二维材料膜。还考察了关键的膜设计策略及其对有机溶剂中分离性能的影响。最后，从二维材料膜的关键挑战方面提供了一些观点，包括膜性能评估的标准化、对分离机制的理解的提高、渗透性和选择性之间的权衡管理、与应用多功能性相关的问题、长期稳定性和制造可扩展性。本综述将为研究人员提供有用的指导，以创造新型二维材料膜，推动有机溶剂中新型分离技术的发展。
