Carbon nanotube membrane filters

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of different filtration processes (Sect. 31.1) and the mechanism of nanofiltration (Sect. 31.2). In the following sections, we focus on nanofiltration based on carbon nanotube membranes. A brief introduction to carbon nanotubes and their structure and properties is given, with an emphasis on the different kinds of synthesis of membranes; their function in nanofiltration in gas–vapor transport, liquid transport, and some other filtration-like techniques for filtration of bacteria and viruses is also discussed in detail (Sect. 31.3). Finally, an outlook of future research is proposed. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013.