Reviewed by Lexie CornerApr 17 2025
In a examine revealed in Nature Chemical Engineering, researchers at EPFL developed a scalable methodology for producing porous graphene membranes that effectively separate carbon dioxide.
A graphene membrane separates CO2 from N2. Picture Credit score: EPFL/Ivan Savicev CC-BY-SA 4.0 2025 EPFL
The event may considerably scale back the associated fee and footprint of carbon seize applied sciences.
Capturing CO₂ from industrial emissions is important in addressing local weather change. Nonetheless, present strategies, comparable to chemical absorption, are each costly and energy-intensive. Graphene, a skinny, ultra-strong materials, has lengthy been thought-about a possible various for gasoline separation. Nonetheless, producing massive, environment friendly graphene membranes has been difficult.
Led by Professor Kumar Agrawal of the Gaznat Chair in Superior Separations, researchers at EPFL have developed a scalable method to create porous graphene membranes that selectively filter CO₂ from gasoline mixtures. This methodology reduces manufacturing prices whereas bettering membrane high quality and efficiency, which may facilitate real-world functions in carbon seize and different areas.
Graphene membranes will be engineered with particular pores that permit CO₂ to go by whereas blocking bigger molecules like nitrogen, making them best for gasoline separation. These properties make them appropriate for capturing CO₂ emissions from energy vegetation and industrial processes. Nonetheless, producing these membranes at scale has been each tough and dear.
Most current strategies use costly copper foils to supply high-quality graphene, and the fragile dealing with usually leads to fractures that compromise membrane efficiency. The problem has been creating an economical, constant methodology for producing massive, high-quality graphene membranes.
The EPFL group tackled these challenges by creating a technique to develop high-quality graphene on low-cost copper foils, considerably decreasing materials prices. Additionally they refined a chemical course of utilizing ozone (O₃) to etch microscopic pores into the graphene, enabling extremely selective CO₂ filtration.
The researchers enhanced the interplay between the gasoline and graphene, leading to uniform pore growth throughout massive areas. It is a essential step towards making the know-how commercially scalable.
To handle the problem of membrane fragility, the group additionally developed a singular switch methodology. As a substitute of floating the fragile graphene sheet onto a assist, which frequently results in cracks, they employed a direct switch approach throughout the membrane module. This method eliminates dealing with challenges and reduces failure charges to just about zero.
Utilizing this novel methodology, the researchers efficiently created 50 cm² graphene membranes with near-perfect integrity, surpassing earlier limitations. These membranes demonstrated sturdy gasoline permeance and CO₂ selectivity, successfully permitting CO₂ to go by whereas blocking different gases.
Optimizing the oxidation course of elevated the density of CO₂-selective pores, additional bettering the membrane’s efficiency. Computational fashions confirmed that rising the gasoline movement over the membrane was key to reaching these outcomes.
This growth has the potential to considerably influence carbon seize know-how. Conventional CO₂ seize strategies depend on energy-intensive chemical processes, making them tough and dear for widespread use. In distinction, graphene membranes require no warmth enter and function by easy pressure-driven filtration, providing substantial power financial savings.
Past carbon seize, this know-how might be utilized to separate different gases, comparable to hydrogen and oxygen. With its scalable manufacturing approach and low-cost parts, this breakthrough brings graphene membranes nearer to business viability.
GAZNAT, the Swiss Federal Workplace of Power, Bridge (Proof of Idea), and the Canton of Valais funded the examine.
Journal Reference:
Hao, J. et al. (2025) Scalable synthesis of CO2-selective porous single-layer graphene membranes. Nature Chemical Engineering. doi.org/10.1038/s44286-025-00203-z
