Shaping nanofiltration channels in a carbonaceous membrane via controlling the pyrolysis atmosphere.

This work investigates the effect of atmosphere on pyrolysis of a polymer matrix (precursor) for directing its transformation towards more disordered graphene species and smaller graphitic nanograins. These two structural characteristics are crucial to the generation of nano-channels (NCs) pertinent to nanofiltration (NF). Two measures are explored hereby to conduct the study: varying the pyrolysis atmosphere and implementing highly dispersed nickel atomic clusters (Ni-clusters) in the coating matrix undergoing pyrolysis. A thermally reactive polymer precursor is developed to allow the above two measures to act more effectively. The various pyrolysis atmospheres employed include inert Ar, a reducing H