AUTHOR=Sun Tingyu , Wang Lei , Hu Rengkai , Li Yangmei , Zhu Zhi 

TITLE=Light controls edge functional groups to enhance membrane permeability

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physics

VOLUME=Volume 11 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physics/articles/10.3389/fphy.2023.1098170

DOI=10.3389/fphy.2023.1098170

ISSN=2296-424X

ABSTRACT=Functionalized membranes have high potential value in a broad range of practical applications and the functional groups at the membrane edge play a vital role in the permeability of the membranes. Here, based on an edge-functionalized graphene oxide (GO) membrane model, we theoretically report that high-frequency terahertz stimulation at the frequency near 44.0 THz can significantly enhance the water permeability of the membrane by nearly 5 times. Its mechanism was revealed to be that the stimulation amplified the C-O stretching of the functional groups and suppressed other vibration modes of the groups. As a result, the modulation of edge functional groups brings down the energy barricade of the membrane and allows water molecules to penetrate the GO membrane more easily. These findings provide a new perspective for enhancing membrane permeability by modulating particular functional groups such as the carboxyl on the edge of GO membrane.