Graphene oxide filters and methods of use

摘要

A system and device for filtering fluids using graphene oxide (GO) is provided. GO-based filters may be used for the efficient removal of microorganisms from organic and aqueous liquids and may be used to prevent fuel biodeterioration. Functionalization of graphene oxide with reactive oxygen functional groups provides physical properties to the GO including high solubility in polar solvents, good colloidal properties, low production costs, low toxicity, and a large surface area which can be decorated with antimicrobial agents including nanosilver. GO may be used as a filtration media for efficient removal of bacteria and to remove small amounts of water from hydrocarbon fuels. The GO filter media may be made of a plurality of GO particles, a structural core coated with GO, a non-porous structural membrane coated with GO, or a filtering membrane coated with GO. A method for sampling impurities found in an environmental sample is also provided.

主权项

1. A fuel storage vessel for removing biological contaminants from fuel, the fuel storage vessel comprising a fuel inlet, a fuel filtrate outlet, a fuel filtering chamber, and a polar graphene oxide filter medium, wherein:
the fuel inlet and the fuel filtrate outlet are in fluid communication with the fuel filtering chamber; the polar graphene oxide filter medium resides in the fuel filtering chamber; and the polar graphene oxide filter medium comprises:
a honeycomb monolayer of carbon atoms functionalized with at least one reactive oxygen functional group, wherein the honeycomb monolayer is functionalized with silver nanoparticles, and wherein the honeycomb monolayer is configured as a coating on at least one surface within the fuel filtering chamber,a polarity exceeding approximately 0.25 on the ETN scale,an oxygen content exceeding approximately 15%, andan atomic ratio of carbon to oxygen of 2:1 such that the polar graphene oxide filter medium is effective to remove the biological contaminants from the fuel upon flow of the fuel therethrough.