Porous rGO/networked cellulose composite membranes: Towards enhanced nanofiltration performance of rGO-based membranes

Graphene-based materials have been widely used for the fabrication of superior separation membranes for water treatment and purification. In particular, reduced graphene oxide (rGO), which has better water stability than graphene oxide (GO), has been demonstrated to be a good building block. However, rGO laminates are characterized by narrow interlayer spacing leading to dense packing and consequently lower flux limiting their direct utilization for membrane development. In this study, we report the fabrication of networked cellulose (NC)/porous rGO composite membranes with enhanced separation performance. We observed a synergistic effect due to the incorporation of NC and the presence of nano-pores on the rGO sheets. Firstly, in addition to the enhanced hydrophilicity and mechanical stability, the presence of NC with networked fibers reduced the horizontal transport resistance within the interlayer channels due to the formation of voids and wrinkles. Secondly, in-plane pores created by H₂O₂ oxidation of GO effectively contributed to additional transport channels providing shortened transport length for water molecules. Results showed that composite membranes maintained stable long-term performance with a pure water permeance up to 25.1 ± 2.2 Lm⁻²h⁻¹bar⁻¹ and salt rejection of 70.2 %, 63.08 %, 17.13 % and 25.62 %, for Na₂SO₄, MgSO₄, MgCl₂ and NaCl respectively. Unlike many previously reported rGO membranes that rely on ultra-thin selective layers, this work demonstrates an effective strategy for fabricating superior rGO membranes for water treatment and desalination.