WUSTL University develops nanofiltration membrane, water filter, simple, cheap

Engineers at Washington University in St. Louis Louis (WUSTL) has developed a biofilm membrane, which covers the surface of a dirty pond, or a saltwater pond, which uses sunlight to filter dirt and salt from the water and the bow. clean water supply. This membrane promises to help ponds and lakes with water contaminated or contaminated with solute with clean water.

This biofilm consists of two nano layers of microbial original cellulose (nanocellulose) . The lower layer is pristine cellulose (roughly translated: original cellulose) , the upper layer is graphene oxide (roughly translated as carbon oxide nanorod). This carbon oxide layer absorbs the sun, produces heat, water will be absorbed from below, through the lower layer, then evaporates on the top, during this evaporation process it will leave impurities. , suspended matter or salt, clean water deposited above, we can draw this water out and use it.

Srikanth Singamaneni is a professor of WUSTL material manufacturing at the university. This has the ability to suck very large water from the bottom and bring it upwards, while being able to prevent heat from spreading on the surface, the process of water filtration takes only one step. "

This membrane is quite sturdy but light, easy to make, easy to produce in large quantities.

The use of graphene films to filter this water is a new idea, but the method used to produce these membranes is innovative. People mimic the process of mussel creating pearls, layer by layer until there is a pearl, the process of making this bearing is quite similar, the bacteria are cultured to create cellulose film, in the process of culture Graphene oxide is added to the material, when the bacteria produce cellulose, graphene oxide is available in the membrane. By the time the requirements are met, people will start over to create new membranes, until the finished product is achieved.

This membrane is quite solid, in terms of mechanics, it is classified as quite solid, at the same time extremely light, easy to make, easy to produce large quantities, conducting water filtration is also very simple , just spread the membrane on the water surface, no need for complicated pump or energy supply systems.

One can produce bulk cellulose, graphene oxide prices are extremely cheap, in principle, can produce tons of films that cost very little money, film production technology can also help put in the material of nanocomposites to kill bacteria, to help filter out water is to drink immediately.

Singamaneni said: "I hope in a sunny country like India, people can take dirty water, filter it with this material, and collect clean water for simple use."

The results of the group's research are published in Advanced Materials.