Tailored Transport through Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanofibre Membranes; Controlled Synthesis, Modelling, and Passive Diffusion Experiments

Journal Article · Fri Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 2004 · Nanotechnology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0957-4484/16/12/063· OSTI ID:1003379

Fowlkes, Jason Davidson ^[1]; Fletcher, Benjamin L ^[1]; Hullander, Eric D ^[1]; Klein, Kate L ^[1]; Hensley, Dale K ^[1]; Melechko, Anatoli Vasilievich ^[1]; Simpson, Michael L ^[1]; Doktycz, Mitchel John ^[1]

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1. ORNL

The ability to control the permeability of a synthetic membrane structure formed by a spatially stochastic forest of vertically aligned carbon nanofibres is demonstrated. Control of membrane pore size and morphology was achieved by varying the thickness of a uniform, conformal coating of SiO2 on the nanofibre surfaces. Characterization of passive diffusion using fluorescence microscopy and labelled latex beads confirms the ability to alter membrane permeability. Further, statistically reproducible transport regimes are predicted for the spatially stochastic membrane as a function of the nanofibre diameter by a Monte Carlo simulation technique. Realizing predictable nanoscale behaviour in a microscopically random, statistical structure is essential for applications requiring controlled, species specific transport.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
• Sponsoring Organization: SC USDOE - Office of Science (SC)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 1003379
• Journal Information: Nanotechnology, Journal Name: Nanotechnology Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 16; ISSN 1361-6528; ISSN 0957-4484
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
CARBON
COATINGS
DIFFUSION
FLUORESCENCE
LATEX
MEMBRANE PORES
MEMBRANES
MICROSCOPY
MORPHOLOGY
PERMEABILITY
SIMULATION
SYNTHESIS
THICKNESS
TRANSPORT