Effect of microstructure of graphene oxide fabricated through different self-assembly techniques on 1-butanol dehydration

• Published in: Journal of membrane science Vol. 477; pp. 93 - 100
• Main Authors: Tsou, Chi-Hui, An, Quan-Fu, Lo, Shen-Chuan, De Guzman, Manuel, Hung, Wei-Song, Hu, Chien-Chieh, Lee, Kueir-Rarn, Lai, Juin-Yih
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.03.2015
• Subjects: Butanol dehydration; Dehydration; Graphene; Graphene oxide; Laminate structure; Laminates; Membranes; Microstructure; Oxides; Pervaporation; Pressure-assisted self-assembly; Self assembly; Graphene oxide; Pressure-assisted self-assembly; Butanol dehydration; Laminate structure
• ISSN: 0376-7388; 1873-3123
• DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2014.12.039

We utilized pressure-, vacuum-, and evaporation-assisted self-assembly techniques through which graphene oxide (GO) was deposited on modified polyacrylonitrile (mPAN). The fabricated composite GO/mPAN membranes were applied to dehydrate 1-butanol mixtures by pervaporation. Varying driving forces in the self-assembly techniques induced different GO assembly layer microstructures. XRD results indicated that the GO layer d-spacing varied from 8.3Å to 11.5Å. The self-assembly technique with evaporation resulted in a heterogeneous GO layer with loop structures; this layer was shown to be hydrophobic, in contrast to the hydrophilic layer formed from the other two techniques. From the pressure-assisted technique, the composite membrane exhibited exceptional pervaporation performance at 30°C: concentration of water at the permeate side=99.6wt% and permeation flux=2.54kgm−2h−1. Moreover, the membrane sustained its operating stability at a high temperature of 70°C: a high water concentration of 99.5wt% was maintained, and a permeation flux as high as 4.34kgm−2h−1 was attained. This excellent separation performance stemmed from the dense, highly ordered laminate structure of GO. Effect of microstructure of graphene oxide fabricated through different self-assembly techniques on 1-butanol dehydration. [Display omitted] •High-performance GOPASA/mPAN membrane for 1-butanol dehydration.•The composite GOPASA/mPAN membrane with highly ordered laminate structure.•Different GO laminate structures had the effect of transforming the membrane surface from hydrophilic to hydrophobic