Nanomembranes are commonly made from organic polymer based nanocomposites with a thickness less than 100nm. Such nanomembranes include organic polymers combined with a mesh of silica nanoparticles. The size of the holes in the mesh restricts or allows the passage of different sized molecules.
Nanomembranes are commonly fabricated using Layer-by-Layer (LbL) assembly methods. This method give precise control over the in plane composition of the membrane and allows for the addition of a range of components to be added to the membrane. These components include nanoparticles and nanotubes that can tailor the mechanical, optical and electronic properties of the nanomembrane.
Applications for nanomembranes include :
Nanomembranes are commonly fabricated using Layer-by-Layer (LbL) assembly methods. This method give precise control over the in plane composition of the membrane and allows for the addition of a range of components to be added to the membrane. These components include nanoparticles and nanotubes that can tailor the mechanical, optical and electronic properties of the nanomembrane.
Applications for nanomembranes include :
- Desalination of sea water
- Purification of polluted water
- Removal of carbon dioxide and other pollutants from exhaust gases
- Sensors in MEMS
- Carbon Nanomembranes
CNMs:
Carbon nanomembranes (CNMs) are similar to plastic films, but only 1 nanometer (1 millionths of 1 millimeter) in thickness. CNMs are the thinnest man-made polymeric membranes. Their thickness is fifty times thinner than commercial inorganic membranes and about five times thinner than biological lipid bilayers. CNMs constitute a new class of material with interesting properties that promise to lead to innovative products in many fields:
- CNMs are 1 nm thin, mechanically stable – yet elastic – carbon-based films.
- CNMs can be transferred to various surfaces or micro structures - including TEM-grids - to form free standing two-dimensional layers.
- The two sides of CNMs can be chemically and biologically functionalized.
- CNMs can be transformed into a single layer graphene.
- Mechanical and chemical patterning of CNMs is possible according to customer specifications.
- Perforation and chemical functionalization of CNMs allows nano-filtration.
- Integration of CNMs into silicon chips or micro‑electromechanical systems (MEMS) is demonstrated.
- Conductivity of CNMs can be tuned from insulating to conductive during production.