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Ultrastretchable Graphene-Based Molecular Barriers for Chemical Protection, Detection, and Actuation.

ABSTRACT: A wide range of technologies requires barrier films to impede molecular transport between the external environment and a desired internal microclimate. Adding stretchability to barrier films would enable the applications in packaging, textiles, and flexible devices, but classical barrier materials utilize dense, ordered molecular architectures that easily fracture under small tensile strain. Here, we show that textured graphene-based coatings can serve as ultrastretchable molecular barriers expandable to 1500% areal strain through programmed unfolding that mimics the elasticity of polymers. These coatings retain barrier function under large deformation and can be conformally applied to planar or curved surfaces, where they are washfast and mechanically robust to cycling. These graphene-polymer bilayer structures also function as sensors or actuators by transducing chemical stimuli into mechanical deformation and electrical resistance change through asymmetric polymer swelling. These results may enable multifunctional fabrics that integrate chemical protection, sensing, and actuation, with further applications as selective barriers, membranes, stretchable electronics, or soft robotics.

SUBMITTER: Chen PY

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5780244 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Ultrastretchable Graphene-Based Molecular Barriers for Chemical Protection, Detection, and Actuation.

Chen Po-Yen PY Zhang Mengke M Liu Muchun M Wong Ian Y IY Hurt Robert H RH

ACS nano 20171222 1

A wide range of technologies requires barrier films to impede molecular transport between the external environment and a desired internal microclimate. Adding stretchability to barrier films would enable the applications in packaging, textiles, and flexible devices, but classical barrier materials utilize dense, ordered molecular architectures that easily fracture under small tensile strain. Here, we show that textured graphene-based coatings can serve as ultrastretchable molecular barriers expa ...[more]

PMID: 29165991

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Project description:There is tremendous interest in graphene-based membranes as protective molecular barriers or molecular sieves for separation technologies. Graphene oxide (GO) films in the dry state are known to be effective barriers for molecular transport and to expand in the presence of moisture to create enlarged intersheet gallery spaces that allow rapid water permeation. Here we explore an application for GO membranes as water-breathable barrier layers for personal protective equipment, which are designed to allow outward perspiration while protecting the wearer from chemical toxicants or biochemical agents in the local environment. A device was developed to measure permeation rates of small-molecular toxicants in the presence of counter-current water flow simulating active perspiration. The technique was applied to trichloroethylene (TCE) and benzene, which are important environmental toxicants, and ethanol as a limiting case to model very small, highly water-soluble organic molecules. Submicron GO membranes are shown to be effective TCE barriers, both in the presence and absence of simulated perspiration flux, and to outperform current barrier technologies. A molecular transport model is developed, which suggests the limited toxicant back-permeation observed occurs not by diffusion against the convective perspiration flow in hydrophobic channels, but rather through oxidized domains where hydrogen-bonding produces a near-stagnant water phase. Benzene and ethanol permeation fluxes are higher than those for TCE, likely reflecting the effects of higher water solubility and smaller minimum molecular dimension. Overall, GO films have high water breathability relative to competing technologies and are known to exclude most classes of target toxicants, including particles, bacteria, viruses, and macromolecules. The present results show good barrier performance for some very small-molecule species, but not others, with permeation being favored by high water solubility and small minimum molecular dimension.

Dataset Information

Ultrastretchable Graphene-Based Molecular Barriers for Chemical Protection, Detection, and Actuation.

Publications

Ultrastretchable Graphene-Based Molecular Barriers for Chemical Protection, Detection, and Actuation.

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