In the field of volatile organic compounds, graphene oxides have attracted attention as two-dimensional (2-D) materials with nanoporous membranes due to their molecular-sieve-like architectural properties and functional simplicity suited for hydrogen (H2) adsorption. Nevertheless, the accumulation of graphene sheets can be challenging due to their low efficiency for long-term industrial applications. As a result, Haiyan Mao and a research team at the University of California Berkeley, Stanford University and the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab in the U.S. designed hierarchical nanoporous membranes (HNMs). They designed and developed the constructs by combining a class of nanocomposites with a carbon sphere and graphene oxide. The team followed Murray’s law (an optimization principle) to prepare the hierarchical carbon spheres to act as spacers and adsorbents, using chemical activation alongside microwave heating. The HNMs contained micropores dominated by a combination of ultra-micropores and mesopores. The work can be expanded across environmental and energy fields.
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Source: Phys.org