Graphene-based membranes for pervaporation processes

Two-dimensional graphene and its derivatives exhibiting distinct physiochemical properties are intriguing building blocks for researchers from a large variety of scientific fields. Assembling graphene-based materials into membrane layers brings great potentials for high-efficiency membrane processes. Particularly, pervaporation by graphene-based membranes has been intensively studied with respect to the membrane design and preparation. This review aims to provide an overview on the graphene-based membranes for pervaporation processes ranged from fabrication to application. Physical or chemical decoration of graphene-based materials is elaborated regarding their effects on the microstructure and performance. The mass transport of pervaporation through graphene-based membranes is introduced, and relevant mechanisms are described. Furthermore, performances of state-of-the-art graphene-based membranes for different pervaporation applications are summarized. Finally, the perspectives of current challenges and future directions are presented. (C) 2020 The Chemical Industry and Engineering Society of China, and Chemical Industry Press Co., Ltd. All rights reserved.