Large-area graphene-nanomesh/carbon-nanotube hybrid membranes for ionic and molecular nanofiltration

Supported graphene-based membranes Porous graphene sheets have excellent filtration capabilities and are able to block most ions, but their fragility limits their scale-up beyond laboratory demonstrations. Yang et al. created a nanoporous graphene membrane reinforced by a network of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) to provide mechanical stability (see the Perspective by Mi). The SWNT network also stopped the propagation of cracks in the graphene, effectively localizing the damage to a small area defined by a cell in the carbon nanotube mesh. The membranes showed high water flux rates as well as a high rejection rate for most ions. Science , this issue p. 1057 ; see also p. 1033