Liquid-phase water isotope separation using graphene-oxide membranes

We report pressure-driven liquid-phase isotope separation (dead-end filtration) to enrich D and 18O in natural water using graphene oxide (G-O) and UV-reduced graphene oxide (UV-rG-O) membranes. The isotope diffusivity (molecular diffusion and adsorption separation) was found to be responsible for isotope separation. Adsorption separation is the dominant mechanism for improvements in D and 18O enrichment via increased G-O loading that leads to...