2D materials-based membranes for hydrogen purification: Current status and future prospects

Abstract

Hydrogen (H2) is the most viable energy carrier to replace fossil fuels and achieve zero net emission. To realize hydrogen-based society, the development of energy-efficient and high-purity H2 production techniques is one of the key issues as currently mature H2 purification technologies are energy-intensive. Membrane separation is an attractive option to obtain high-purity H2 gas with low energy consumption. However, membrane separation processes are often limited by the low performance of commercial polymeric membranes despite the progress made over the last few decades. As an alternative, two-dimensional nanomaterials (2DNMs) have recently drawn tremendous attention as membrane materials thanks to their unique physical and chemical properties. Herein, we seek to offer a comprehensive review of 2DNM-based membranes for H2 gas separation. Also, we discuss the current technological challenges and provide our perspectives for future research. © 2020 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC