CAREER: Graphene-enabled Synthesis and Surface Modification of Water Separation Membranes

这个拟议的项目旨在研究一种相对较新的材料--氧化石墨烯纳米材料(GO)，作为一种可能的海水淡化和净化受损水的解决方案。所谓受损水域，是指可能受到人为(人为)化学物质污染的水域。氧化石墨烯薄膜被认为可以增加水渗透(穿过)膜的速度。这意味着，与目前用于海水淡化的半透膜相比，盐的截留率更多地受到孔径的控制。纳米材料是一个非常活跃的研究领域，它们有望给许多科学和工程领域带来革命性的变化。研究将：(1)首次通过GO纳米通道实验表征水相水的传输，从而填补我们对GO纳米材料用于高效水分离的知识空白；(2)为水分离膜的合成和表面修饰提供新的途径；以及(3)从根本上阐明GO使能膜去除目标水污染物的传输和光催化机理。所提出的GO基膜的合成和表面修饰策略是简单的、高度可扩展的，并且有可能成为将GO引入各种膜材料的标准。一旦更好地了解这些膜，它们将得到广泛的应用，如使用点水净化、水力压裂回流水的现场处理、可再生能源生产、药物输送和人造器官开发。为了帮助传播这项研究的结果，教育计划将强调(1)招募代表不足的群体以促进环境劳动力的更大多样性，以及(2)参加公共展览以提高更广泛受众的环境意识。采用的主动学习教学法具有改变工程可持续发展教育的潜力。

1351430MiThis proposed project is designed to examine a relatively new material, graphene oxide nanomaterial's (GO), as a possible solution to desalination and for purifying impaired waters. By impaired waters, it refers to waters that may be contaminated with anthropogenic (made by people) chemicals. Graphene oxide membranes are thought to increase the rate at which water permeates (goes through) the membrane. This means that salt rejection is more controlled by pore size that semi-permeable membranes that are presently used in desalination. Nanomaterials are an extremely active area of research and they hold out the promise of revolutionizing many fields of science and engineering.The research will:(1) for the first time experimentally characterize aqueous-phase water transport through GO nanochannels, thereby filling the gap of our knowledge about the use of GO nanomaterials for highly efficient water separation;(2) offer novel routes to the synthesis and surface modification of water separation membranes; and (3) fundamentally elucidate the transport and photocatalytic mechanisms for the removal of targeted water contaminants by GO-enabled membranes. The proposed strategies for GO-based membrane synthesis and surface modification are facile, highly scalable, and potentially become a standard for the incorporation of GO into various membrane materials. Once these membranes are better understood, they will find widespread applications such as point-of-use water purification, on-site treatment of hydrofracking flowback water, renewable energy production, and drug delivery and artificial organ development.To help to disseminate that findings of this research the education plan will emphasize (1) recruiting underrepresented groups to promote greater diversity in the environmental workforce, and (2) participating in public exhibitions to raise environmental awareness among a much wider audience. The adopted active learning pedagogy has the potential to transform engineering sustainability education.