Exploring a cost efficient method to synthesise graphene membrane for haemodialysis

• Main Author: Moay, Zi Kuang
• Other Authors: Chen Peng
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Bioengineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/67386
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

This report illustrates the progress of exploring an alternative low cost method to synthesise graphene membrane for the purpose of haemodialysis. The usage of polysulfone membranes in dialysers during haemodialysis limits its efficiency process to remove waste and extra fluids from the blood due to its thicker size and higher cost of production. Graphene was seen as a material capable of addressing these issues due to its capability of forming an ultra-thin material, as well as its low cost of fabrication. To explore the viability of the fabrication process of graphene membrane for haemodialysis, a copper plate was coated with 25 µm pillar masks before being immersed into graphene oxide (GO) solution for 16 hours. A graphene film was successfully produced with the method above, however the faint visibility of pillar masks suggested that the graphene film has covered the pillars. Etching of copper plate revealed that it is possible to separate graphene film from the pillars. Although the result of the project was still far from achieving its objectives, it has shown the possibilities of creating a viable graphene membrane for haemodialysis by optimising the fabrication variables. Further exploration could be done to improve its fabrication process, such as reducing the time spent for immersion of copper plate in GO solution, increasing the copper plate etching time and developing time, ensuring smoothness of copper plate, using negative film masks with nanometre scale holes to create nanopillar masks, and exploring possible alternatives to produce graphene membrane in a hollow-fibre structure.