A type of filter containing a membrane made of carbon nanotubes has been developed by German researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). Its unique design makes it highly effective for desalinating water.
The vertically aligned carbon nanotube (VACNT) membrane can be used for water purification or desalination with high flow rates and low pressure. The research team recently conducted experiments on the adsorption of steroid hormones within the pores of this membrane. They found that the specific geometry of the pores and the surface structure of the nanotubes make it suitable for use as a selective membrane. Professor Andrea Iris Schäfer, head of the Membrane Department at KIT, described these nanotubes as having pores with diameters ranging from 1.7 to 3.3 nanometers and a nearly cylindrical shape with slight twisting.
Given the global importance of clean drinking water, membranes are utilized to efficiently remove harmful compounds, such as steroid hormones, which pose risks to both health and the environment. Vertical alignment of carbon nanotubes has been applied in the production of water purification membranes.
The study reveals that adsorption in the nanocavities of the membrane is not solely limited to surface adsorption and mass transfer. It also depends on the interaction of hydrodynamic forces, friction, and attraction-repulsion forces at the wall interface. The high permeability of the nanocavities results in minimal interactions and ultimately reduces friction, thereby increasing flow rates.
The project to develop this membrane took about 10 years and has been widely acclaimed within the membrane technology community. However, scaling up production to larger sizes poses significant challenges. For membranes produced on a square-centimeter scale, there is a higher likelihood of defects, which can impact the final results. Nevertheless, researchers have successfully designed and manufactured such membranes at relatively larger scales.
Source: Iran Nano Technology News Network
Save the post 
