Transition Metal Dichalcogenide-based Membranes for Water Desalination, Gas Separation, and Energy Storage

ABSTRACT

Two-dimensional membranes are considered as the most energy-efficient alternatives to various traditional separation processes. To date, atomically thin hexagonal boron nitride, covalent organic frameworks, graphene, graphene oxide, transition metal carbides and nitrides, layered double hydroxide, transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs), and metal-organic frameworks have been extensively investigated for high-performance lamellar membranes, which is due to their tunable physicochemical properties, single-layered structure, and in-plane pore structure. This comprehensive review summarizes the different fabrication methods of TMDC-based membranes and introduces the recent modification strategies to improve their microstructural properties. TMDCs-based membranes for wastewater treatment, desalination, proton exchange, gas separation, and energy devices are extensively discussed. Finally, we highlight the current engineering hurdles and suggest research directions for improving the separation efficiency, stability, and permeability of these membranes.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• Two-dimensional
• dichalcogenides
• membrane
• desalination
• gas separation

Acknowledgments

The authors are also thankful for technical and research support from the College of EME, NUST, Pakistan, Sukkur IBA University, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), China.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was partly supported by the Technology development Program of MSS [S3060599 and the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the korea government (MSIT) No. 2018 R1A5A1024127.