Graphene Filters


Graphene Filters

As explained in a previous post, graphene is a graphene is an ultra-light yet immensely tough material that is 200 times stronger than steel. It is transparent as well as being the thinnest material possible and is an incredibly flexible conductor that can act as a perfect barrier which not even helium can pass through. 
Scientists at the University of Manchester have developed a solution to one of our global problems with graphene: turning ocean water into potable drinkable H2O. Currently there are at least 1.2 billion people living in areas with insufficient potable water. This new discovery can quickly and easily turn one of our most abundant resources, seawater, into one of our most scarce — clean drinking water. 
The new technique uses a new graphene-oxide membrane as a sieve that filters out salt molecules from water. The concept of using graphene-oxide membranes for desalinization isn’t new but this is the first successful attempt to make it happen. In the past, when membranes were immersed in water, they’d absorb the liquid and swell up, enlarging the pores which ruined their ability to catch tiny salt molecules. 
The University of Manchester’s team, led by Rahul Nair, solved this problem by building walls of epoxy resin around the membrane which prevented the absorption of water when submerged. Since the pores of these membranes can be scalable, it can be used to filter out specific ions according to their sizes. This realization of scalable membranes with uniform pore size down to the atomic scale is a significant step forward in desalination technology. 

Even rain water can be filtered as it is not as clean as most people might think. Particulates and other pollutants can end up in seemingly clean rain water that would make it harmful for people to consume. Areas like India’s rivers which are full of trash and pollutants could be sterilized as well, making the estuary a safe place for people to be in. 
If this technology was implemented to clean up oil spills it could also be an efficient way of cleaning up the oceans. 


Bibliography


Berman, Robby. “Graphene May Be the Key to Drinkable Ocean Water.” Big Think, 5 Apr. 2017, bigthink.com/robby-berman/graphene-may-be-the-key-to-drinkable-ocean-water.

Graphene’s Potential to Provide Drinking Water. YouTube, Institute of Physics, 15 Oct. 2013, www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMXLhMtb5AQ.

Lambert, Robert J. “The story of graphene | The University of Manchester.” Close menu, www.graphene.manchester.ac.uk/explore/the-story-of-graphene/.

MacDonald, Fiona. “Scientists Have Invented a Graphene-Based Sieve That Turns Seawater Into Drinking Water.” ScienceAlert, www.sciencealert.com/scientists-create-a-graphene-based-sieve-that-turns-seawater-into-drinking-water.

“Scarcity, Decade, Water for Life, 2015, UN-Water, United Nations, MDG, water, sanitation, financing, gender, IWRM, Human right, transboundary, cities, quality, food security.” United Nations, United Nations, www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/scarcity.shtml.

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