Carbon nanotube membranes with ultrahigh specific adsorption capacity for water desalination and purification.
Development of technologies for water desalination and purification is critical to meet the global challenges of insufficient water supply and inadequate sanitation, especially for point-of-use applications. Conventional desalination methods are energy and operationally intensive, whereas adsorption-based techniques are simple and easy to use for point-of-use water purification, yet their capacity to remove salts is limited. Here we report that plasma-modified ultralong carbon nanotubes exhibit ultrahigh specific adsorption capacity for salt (exceeding 400% by weight) that is two orders of magnitude higher than that found in the current state-of-the-art activated carbon-based water treatment systems. We exploit this adsorption capacity in ultralong carbon nanotube-based membranes that can remove salt, as well as organic and metal contaminants. These ultralong carbon nanotube-based membranes may lead to next-generation rechargeable, point-of-use potable water purification appliances with superior desalination, disinfection and filtration properties.
Pillar of Engineering Product Development, Singapore University of Technology and Design, 20 Dover Drive, Singapore 138682, Singapore. yanghuiying@sutd.edu.sg
Hui Ying
HY
Yang
Zhao Jun
ZJ
Han
Siu Fung
SF
Yu
Kin Leong
KL
Pey
Kostya
K
Ostrikov
Rohit
R
Karnik
D000327:Adsorption / Q000502:physiology*; D060766:Drinking Water / Q000737:chemistry; D008566:Membranes / Q000378:metabolism*; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D054712:Salinity; D012492:Salts / Q000737:chemistry; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000737:chemistry*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
D060766:Drinking Water; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D012492:Salts; D012965:Sodium Chloride