10:30–11:30 am
ERC 161 5640 S. Ellis Avenue
The contamination of freshwater and drinking water by organic and inorganic metal ions has become a critical challenge for the public health. Two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials offer a variety of interesting properties that can be potentially used to remove these contaminants from water. This talk will focus on the promises of using 2D graphene oxide (GO) and MoS2 layer-stacked membrane for the removal of organic contaminants and metal ions, including lead, silver, mercury, and chromium. For example, among all materials ever reported in the literature, MoS2 nanosheets exhibit the highest adsorption capacity and the strongest selectivity toward Pb2+ with a distribution coefficient that is orders of magnitude higher than that of other lead adsorption materials. Results from both experimental characterization and molecular simulation will be presented. We will discuss the water and ion transport mechanisms within the confined 2D nanochannels of a GO or MoS2 membrane at a molecular level.
