SELECTIVE MEMBRANE SUPPORTED ON NANOPOROUS GRAPHENE
First Claim
1. A composite membrane, comprising:
- a nanoporous graphene layer that includes a first side and a second side, wherein the nanoporous graphene layer comprises a plurality of pores with an average diameter in a range between approximately 2 angstroms and approximately 1 micrometer;
a first selective membrane configured in contact with the first side of the nanoporous graphene layer;
a second selective membrane configured in contact with the first selective membrane, wherein at least one of the first selective membrane and the second selective membrane has an average thickness of less than approximately 1 micrometer; and
a porous support substrate configured in contact with the second side of the nanoporous graphene layer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Technologies are generally described for composite membranes that may include a nanoporous graphene layer sandwiched between a first selective membrane and a porous support substrate. The composite membranes may be formed by depositing the selective membrane on one side of the nanoporous graphene layer, while the other side of the nanoporous graphene layer may be supported at a nonporous support substrate. The nanoporous graphene layer may be removed with the selective membrane from the nonporous support substrate and contacted to the porous support substrate to form the composite membranes. By depositing the selective membrane on a flat surface, the nanoporous graphene on the nonporous support substrate, the selective membranes may be produced with reduced defect formation at thicknesses of as little as 0.1 μm or less. The described composite membranes may have increased permeance compared to thicker selective membranes, and structural strength greater than thin selective membranes alone.
63 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A composite membrane, comprising:
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a nanoporous graphene layer that includes a first side and a second side, wherein the nanoporous graphene layer comprises a plurality of pores with an average diameter in a range between approximately 2 angstroms and approximately 1 micrometer; a first selective membrane configured in contact with the first side of the nanoporous graphene layer; a second selective membrane configured in contact with the first selective membrane, wherein at least one of the first selective membrane and the second selective membrane has an average thickness of less than approximately 1 micrometer; and a porous support substrate configured in contact with the second side of the nanoporous graphene layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 6)
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5. (canceled)
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7. The composite membrane of claim 1, wherein the nanoporous graphene layer includes a nanoporous graphene monolayer. 8. (canceled) 9. (canceled)
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10. A method to prepare a composite membrane, comprising:
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growing graphene at a nonporous growth substrate; perforating the graphene to form a nanoporous graphene layer; transferring the nanoporous graphene layer from the nonporous growth substrate to a nonporous support substrate; depositing a first selective membrane at a second surface of the nanoporous graphene layer, wherein a first surface of the nanoporous graphene layer is configured in contact with the nonporous support substrate; removing the nanoporous graphene layer together with the first selective membrane from the nonporous support substrate; and contacting the second surface of the nanoporous graphene layer to a porous support substrate to form the composite membrane. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 20, 22, 23)
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11-14. -14. (canceled)
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18-19. -19. (canceled)
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21. (canceled)
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24. A system to manufacture a composite membrane, the system comprising:
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a chemical vapor deposition chamber; a chemical vapor deposition source; a heater; a temperature sensor; a graphene nano-perforation apparatus; a polymer film manipulator; a selective membrane deposition apparatus; a porous support source; and a controller operatively coupled to one or more of the chemical vapor deposition chamber, the chemical vapor deposition source, the heater, the temperature sensor, the graphene nano-perforation apparatus, the polymer film manipulator, the selective membrane deposition apparatus, and the porous support source, wherein the controller is configured to; control the chemical vapor deposition source, the temperature sensor, and the heater effective to deposit graphene at a nonporous growth substrate in the chemical vapor deposition chamber; control the graphene nano-perforation apparatus effective to perforate the graphene at the nonporous growth substrate to form a nanoporous graphene layer; control the selective membrane deposition apparatus effective to deposit a first selective membrane on a first surface of the nanoporous graphene layer; control the polymer film manipulator effective to remove the nanoporous graphene layer together with the first selective membrane from a nonporous support substrate; control the porous support source effective to provide a porous support substrate; and control the polymer film manipulator effective to contact a second surface of the nanoporous graphene layer to a surface of the porous support substrate to form the composite membrane. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31-34. -34. (canceled)
Specification