Transport of n-alkanes through graphene nanoporous atomically thin membrane

Accurately characterizing molecular transport through a nanoporous atomically thin graphene membrane is important in determining potential for graphene's application as a filter. Amongst many factors that affect the transport, the effect of size of molecules is analyzed in this paper. Diffusion of n-alkanes between C10 and C18 was analyzed to isolate the effect of molecule size in transport trends. The n-alkanes are chosen as the solutes for their similar long-chains but differing lengths. Differently branched structures cause variable interactions with graphene between molecules. Thus, this structural consistency in n-alkanes make them optimal solutes. Additionally, these molecules are comprised of only carbon and hydrogen, allowing the same functional groups and polarities. However, their distinct boiling points allow detection in the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS).

Name thesis:degree_name

Bachelor

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2019

Author dc:creator

• Han, Kyung-Eun.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Rohit Karnik.

• Mechanical Engineering.

Statement dc:rights

• MIT theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed, downloaded, or printed from this source but further reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/123294

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/123294