Graphene-based environmental barriers.

ABSTRACT: Many environmental technologies rely on containment by engineered barriers that inhibit the release or transport of toxicants. Graphene is a new, atomically thin, two-dimensional sheet material, whose aspect ratio, chemical resistance, flexibility, and impermeability make it a promising candidate for inclusion in a next generation of engineered barriers. Here we show that ultrathin graphene oxide (GO) films can serve as effective barriers for both liquid and vapor permeants. First, GO deposition on porous substrates is shown to block convective flow at much lower mass loadings than other carbon nanomaterials, and can achieve hydraulic conductivities of 5 × 10(-12) cm/s or lower. Second we show that ultrathin GO films of only 20-nm thickness coated on polyethylene films reduce their vapor p

SUBMITTER: Guo F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3415037 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature