Measuring the Capacitance of Carbon in Ionic Liquids: From Graphite to Graphene.

The physical electrochemistry of the carbon/ionic liquids interface underpins the processes occurring in a vast range of applications spanning electrochemical energy storage, iontronic devices, and lubrication. Elucidating the charge storage mechanisms at the carbon/electrolyte interface will lead to a better understanding of the operational principles of such systems. Herein, we probe the charge stored at the electrochemical double layer formed between model carbon systems, ranging from single-layer graphene to graphite and the ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (EMIM-TFSI).

Dielectric-free electrowetting on graphene.

Electrowetting is a simple way to induce the spreading and retraction of electrolyte droplets. This method is widely used in "device" applications, where a dielectric layer is applied between the electrolyte and the conducting substrate. Recent work, including contributions from our own laboratory, have shown that reversible electrowetting can be achieved directly on conductors.

In Situ Derived Hybrid Carbon Molecular Sieve Membranes with Tailored Ultramicroporosity for Efficient Gas Separation.

Fine control of ultramicroporosity (<7 Å) in carbon molecular sieve (CMS) membranes is highly desirable for challenging gas separation processes. Here, a versatile approach is proposed to fabricate hybrid CMS (HCMS) membranes with unique textural properties as well as tunable ultramicroporosity. The HCMS membranes are formed by pyrolysis of a polymer nanocomposite precursor containing metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as a carbonizable nanoporous filler.

Defect Engineering in Metal-Organic Frameworks Towards Advanced Mixed Matrix Membranes for Efficient Propylene/Propane Separation.

Highly permselective and durable membrane materials have been sought for energy-efficient C H /C H separation. Mixed-matrix membranes (MMMs) comprising a polymer matrix and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are promising candidates for this application; however, rational matching of filler-matrix is challenging and their separation performances need to be further improved. Here, we propose a novel strategy of "defect engineering" in MOFs as an additional degree of freedom to design advanced MMMs.

Unprecedentedly Low CO Transport through Vertically Aligned, Conical Silicon Nanotube Membranes.

Nanotube membranes could show significantly enhanced permeance and selectivity for gas separations. Up until now, studies have primarily focused on applying carbon nanotubes to membranes to achieve ultrafast mass transport. Here, we report the first preparation of silicon nanotube (SiNT) membranes via a template-assisted method and investigate the gas transport behavior through these SiNT membranes using single- and mixed-gas permeation experiments.

Origin of CO-philic Sorption by Graphene Oxide Layered Nanosheets and Their Derivatives.

Graphene oxide (GO) is a promising 2D material for adsorbents and membranes, in particular, for the CO separation process. However, CO diffusion and sorption in GO and its layered structures are still not well understood because of its heterogeneous structure. Here we report CO sorption in GO and its derivatives (e.

Understanding Gas Transport Behavior through Few-Layer Graphene Oxide Membranes Controlled by Tortuosity and Interlayer Spacing.

Here, we elucidate the gas transport behavior through few-layer graphene oxide membranes (FGOMs) that have a systematically controlled diffusion pathway, including tortuosity and channel width. The obtained unusual gas permeation order (especially, CH > O > N) of the FGOM provides strong evidence that gas molecules can indeed penetrate through the empty voids created by horizontally assembled GO, which allows selective gas transport features. These unique transport features of the FGOM originate from its continuously connected channel structure, which is an analogue of an ultrapermeable glassy polymer with extremely large free volumes in dense films.

Reductive dechlorination of DNAPL mixtures with Fe(II/III)-L and Fe(II)-C: Evaluation using a kinetic model for the competitions.

A kinetic model for the competitions was applied to understand the reductive dechlorination of tertiary DNAPL mixtures containing PCE, TCE, and 1,1,1-TCA. The model assumed that the mass transfer rates were sufficiently rapid that the target compounds in the solution and the DNAPL mixture were in phase equilibrium. Dechlorination was achieved using either a mixture of Fe(II), Fe(III), and Ca(OH) (Fe(II/III)-L) or a mixture of Fe(II) and Portland cement (Fe(II)-C).