Ultrathin Two-Dimensional Polymer Heterostructure Membranes Enabling Unidirectional Ion Transport

Introduction

Current separation technology is crucial for many aspects of human life and accounts for approximately 15% of the world’s energy consumption. While the particle flow through separation columns is directional at the atomistic scale, undirected Brownian motion dominates in state-of-the-art membranes.

Potential of 2D Membranes

2D membranes have the potential to overcome this intrinsic deficiency and shift the paradigm of particle transport from disordered Brownian motion to unidirectional flow.

Development of 2D Polymer Heterostructure Membranes

We will develop unprecedented 2D polymer heterostructure membranes (2DHMs) combined with functionalized graphene. They offer:

• Ultimate thinness (leading to shortest diffusion lengths)
• Precision pore geometry/size (resulting in high size-selectivity, even for hydrogen isotopes)
• High functionality (fostering chemical/charge selectivity and ionic gating)

These features make them ideal membrane materials to realize selective and unidirectional ion transport.

Expertise and Synthesis

We will combine our complementary expertise in:

1. Theory and prediction
2. Chemical design
3. On-water/liquid surface synthesis
4. In-situ ion transport investigations

This collaboration will enable us to develop robust 2DHMs.

Structure-Property Correlations

We will synthesize 2DHMs in the form of horizontal and vertical heterostructures, for which reliable structure-property correlations will be established. We will take advantage of:

• Lattice vibrations
• Nuclear quantum effects
• Electrochemical effects

Consequently, we will reformulate classical diffusion theory to consider these game changers.

Innovative Applications

As a result, we will achieve innovative 2DHMs for selective proton and ion transport with high permeance, laying the foundations for next-generation membrane technologies.

Integration with Energy Devices

2DPolymembrane will unlock the unique opportunities of 2DHMs for innovative energy device integrations, including:

• Proton/aqueous metal batteries
• Fuel cells
• Reverse osmotic power generators

The merits of ultrathin precision 2DHMs will result in the highest selectivity and highest particle flow, thus achieving fundamental device performance beyond the state-of-the-art.