In thisstudy,highlywater-selectivehybridmembraneswithsuperiorwater/ethanolseparation
performance werefabricatedbyincorporatingg-C3N4 nanosheets (CNs)intosodiumalginate(SA)
matrix. CNsweresynthesizedbythermaloxidation “etching” and ultrasoundexfoliationmethods,and
their ultrathinandnanoporousstructureswerecharacterizedbyatomicforcemicroscopy,Fourier
transform infraredspectra,X-rayphotoelectronspectroscopy,andX-raydiffraction.Duetothestrong
interfacial interactionsbetweenCNsandSAchains,thehybridmembranesexhibitedhighermechanical
strength andswellingresistance.Particularly,thehorizontallyalignedlamellarstructureofCNswithin
hybridmembranescouldrenderorderedchannelsforwatertransport,whereasthenanoporous
structure ofCNscouldrenderadditionalsievingeffect.Moreover,theinterventionofCNsonpolymer
chain packingcouldrenderdecreasedcrystallinity.Accordingly,thehybridmembranesexhibited
excellentwaterpermeabilityandselectivityforwater/ethanolmixtureseparation.Especially,forthe
membrane containing3wt%CNs,thepermeation flux couldreach2469g/m2 h whiletheseparation
factor wasashighas1653under76 1C and10wt%feedwaterconcentration.Meanwhile,thehybrid
membranes showedgoodlong-termstability.ThisstudycouldbeextendedtofabricateavarietyofCNs-
incorporatedmembranesfordiverseliquidmixtureorgasmixtureseparations.
Keteng Cao,Zhongyi Jiang,Xiaoshan Zhang,Yamin Zhang,Jing Zhao,Ruisi Xing,Sen Yang,Chengyun Gao,Fusheng Pan.
Journal of Membrane Science,490,72-83(2015)