Development of Functionalized Graphene Oxide Membranes for Selective Ion Separation in Chemical Processing

Abstract

Selective ion separation is a critical requirement in modern chemical processing industries for applications involving water purification, resource recovery, desalination, and chemical product refinement. This study investigates the development of functionalized graphene oxide membranes for enhanced selective ion separation in chemical processing systems. The proposed membrane architecture integrates graphene oxide nanosheets with tailored surface functionalization techniques to improve ion selectivity, permeability, mechanical stability, and chemical resistance under varying operational conditions. A comprehensive experimental investigation was conducted to evaluate the influence of membrane fabrication parameters, functional group modification, interlayer spacing, feed concentration, operating pressure, and pH conditions on separation performance and transport behavior. Advanced characterization techniques confirmed the formation of highly ordered membrane structures with controlled nanochannels and enhanced surface properties suitable for selective ion transport applications. Performance evaluation demonstrated significant improvements in ion rejection efficiency, water flux, and selectivity for targeted ionic species compared to conventional polymeric membrane systems. The functionalized graphene oxide membranes also exhibited enhanced antifouling characteristics, thermal stability, and long-term operational durability during continuous separation processes. Comparative analysis revealed that optimized surface functionalization significantly improves ion discrimination capability through electrostatic interaction and size exclusion mechanisms. Furthermore, the membrane system contributed to reduced energy consumption and improved process efficiency by enabling rapid and selective ion transport under optimized conditions.