Boron-nitride nanotube membranes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12201942-B2
Application number	US-201816631082-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 13, 2018
Priority date	Jul 14, 2017
Publication date	Jan 21, 2025
Grant date	Jan 21, 2025

Abstract

Disclosed herein are boron-nitride nanoparticle membranes and methods of manufacturing boron-nitride nanoparticle membranes. In an embodiment, a boron-nitride nanoparticle membrane includes a matrix and a plurality of one-dimensional boron-nitride nanoparticles disposed within the matrix, where he plurality of boron-nitride nanoparticles are configured for selective molecular transport through each of the plurality of one-dimensional boron-nitride nanoparticles.

First claim

We claim:

1. A membrane comprising:
a matrix having a first surface and an opposed second surface, wherein the matrix is at least one of a polymeric matrix or an inorganic matrix; and
a plurality of substantially vertically aligned boron-nitride nanoparticles disposed in the matrix, wherein each of the plurality of substantially vertically aligned boron-nitride nanotubes extends beyond at least one of the first surface of the matrix and the second surface of the matrix, wherein each of the plurality of boron-nitride nanotubes includes a first end exposed and opened by etching at the first surface of the matrix and a second end exposed and opened by etching at the second surface of the matrix, and an inner hollow diameter configured for selective molecular transport from the first surface of the matrix to the second surface of the matrix.

2. The membrane of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of boron-nitride nanotubes are uniformly dispersed in the matrix.

3. The membrane of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of boron-nitride nanoparticles has a surface charge density of at least 0.01 C/m 2 .

4. The membrane of claim 1 , wherein a material of the matrix is selectively permeable.

5. The membrane of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of boron-nitride nanoparticles have diameters from about 0.5 nanometers to about 100 nanometers.

6. The membrane of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of boron-nitride nanoparticles comprise a thin hexagonal boron nitride layer deposited within pores of a nanoporous substrate.

7. An energy harvesting device comprising:
the membrane of claim 1 ; and
a first solution and a second solution separated by the membrane, wherein the first solution has a first ion concentration and the second solution has a second ion concentration.

8. The membrane of claim 1 , wherein the membrane further comprises a membrane support supporting the matrix thereof.

9. The membrane of claim 1 , wherein the matrix is a polymer matrix, and wherein the polymer matrix is susceptible to plasma etching.

10. The membrane of claim 1 , wherein the boron-nitride nanotubes are present in a density of 10 5 to 10 10 boron-nitride nanotubes per square centimeter.

11. The membrane of claim 1 , wherein the matrix is a polymeric matrix.

12. The membrane of claim 11 , wherein the polymeric matrix comprises polyimide, polysulfone, a cellulose acetate, a polycarbonate, a polymethacrylatepolystyrene, polymethyl methacrylate, polyvinyl alcohol, polyactidepolycaprolactone copolymers, or Nafion.

13. The membrane of claim 1 , wherein the matrix is an inorganic matrix.

14. The membrane of claim 13 , wherein the inorganic matrix comprises ceramic, oxides, or silicon nitride.

Assignees

• The Board Trustees Of The Univ Of Illinois
• Univ Rutgers
• The Board of Trustees of the Unviersity of Illinois
• The State Univ Of New Jersey

Inventors

• Kim Sangil
• Shan Jerry
• Cetindag Semih
• Pendse Aaditya
• Praino Robert

Classifications

• F03G7/009

  Actuators with elements stretchable when contacted with liquid rich in ions, with UV light or with a salt solution · CPC title

• B01D69/1411

  containing dispersed material in a continuous matrix · CPC title

• B01D2325/0283

  Pore size · CPC title

• B01D67/00793

  Dispersing a component, e.g. as particles or powder, in another component · CPC title

• B01D71/0213

  Silicon · CPC title