PROGRAMMABLE SELF-ASSEMBLY FOR DESIGN OF LAYERED FUNCTIONAL MEMBRANES

Abstract

The promising versatility and characteristics of two-dimensional materials based membranes give them a conspicuous place in the sustainable creation of functional intelligent materials for diverse practical applications. Self-assembly strategies like vacuum-assisted filtration and blade coating are widely utilized to fabricate 2D membranes, bare or composite. They are simple and easy to operate and can assemble 2D nanosheets with other functional components, e.g., ions, polymer networks, nanomaterials, liquid crystals. However, the self-assembly processes and the relations between structures and related functional properties at this level are not well understood even these days. This thesis aims to: i) develop a green, sustainable, and low-cost platform for programmable self-assembly of 2D membranes with tailored artificial functionalities; ii) understand the mechanism behind the respective self-assembly approaches; iii) bring new insights of structure property relations for 2D stimuli responsive membranes and 2D gas separation membranes by addressing the current research gaps.