Charge- and Size-Selective Ion Sieving Through Ti3C2Tx MXene Membranes

Chang E. Ren, Kelsey B. Hatzell, Mohamed Alhabeb, Zheng Ling, Khaled A. Mahmoud*, Yury Gogotsi

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

849 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Nanometer-thin sheets of 2D Ti3C2Tx (MXene) have been assembled into freestanding or supported membranes for the charge- and size-selective rejection of ions and molecules. MXene membranes with controllable thicknesses ranging from hundreds of nanometers to several micrometers exhibited flexibility, high mechanical strength, hydrophilic surfaces, and electrical conductivity that render them promising for separation applications. Micrometer-thick MXene membranes demonstrated ultrafast water flux of 37.4 L/(Bar·h·m2) and differential sieving of salts depending on both the hydration radius and charge of the ions. Cations with a larger charge and hydration radii smaller than the interlayer spacing of MXene (-6 Å) demonstrate an order of magnitude slower permeation compared to single-charged cations. Our findings may open a door for developing efficient and highly selective separation membranes from 2D carbides.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)4026-4031
Number of pages6
JournalJournal of Physical Chemistry Letters
Volume6
Issue number20
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 15 Oct 2015

Keywords

  • charged cations
  • permeation selectivity
  • separation membranes

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