Ultrahigh water permeance of a composite reduced graphene oxide/graphene oxide membrane for efficient rejection of dyes

Abstract

Graphene oxide (GO) laminate membranes for water purification have surged in popularity due to their hydrophilicity, high throughput and excellent separation abilities. However, concerns about swelling and stability in water persist. Herein, we prepared high stability, composite reduced graphene oxide (rGO)/graphene oxide (GO) membranes. The composite membranes (i.e. rGO/GO composite membranes) displayed excellent rejection performance for methylene blue (MB) of up to 99.0%, together with ultrahigh water permeance (201.7 L m⁻² h⁻¹ bar⁻¹) compared to pristine GO membranes (54.8 L m⁻² h⁻¹ bar⁻¹). This study broadens the applications of graphene-based membranes and enhances their performance in water treatment.