Publication
Title
Proton and Li-Ion permeation through graphene with eight-atom-ring defects
Author
Abstract
Defect-free graphene is impermeable to gases and liquids but highly permeable to thermal protons. Atomic-scale defects such as vacancies, grain boundaries, and Stone-Wales defects are predicted to enhance graphene's proton permeability and may even allow small ions through, whereas larger species such as gas molecules should remain blocked. These expectations have so far remained untested in experiment. Here, we show that atomically thin carbon films with a high density of atomic-scale defects continue blocking all molecular transport, but their proton permeability becomes similar to 1000 times higher than that of defect-free graphene. Lithium ions can also permeate through such disordered graphene. The enhanced proton and ion permeability is attributed to a high density of eight-carbon-atom rings. The latter pose approximately twice lower energy barriers for incoming protons compared to that of the six-atom rings of graphene and a relatively low barrier of similar to 0.6 eV for Li ions. Our findings suggest that disordered graphene could be of interest as membranes and protective barriers in various Li-ion and hydrogen technologies.
Language
English
Source (journal)
ACS nano. - -
Publication
2020
ISSN
1936-0851
DOI
10.1021/ACSNANO.0C02496
Volume/pages
14 :6 (2020) , p. 7280-7286
ISI
000543744100086
Pubmed ID
32427466
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
Full text (publisher's version - intranet only)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Project info
Atomic thin membranes for water and ion transport.
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 20.08.2020
Last edited 02.10.2024
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