Graphene‐Directed Supramolecular Assembly of Multifunctional Polymer Hydrogel Membranes

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Abstract
Polymer‐based nanoporous hydrogel membranes hold great potential for a range of applications including molecular filtration/separation, controlled drug release, and as sensors and actuators. However, to be of practical utility, polymer membranes generally need to be fabricated as ultrathin yet mechanically robust, have a large‐area yet be defect‐free and in some cases, their structure needs the capability to adapt to certain stimuli. These stringent and sometimes self‐conflicting requirements make it very challenging to manufacture such bulk nanostructures in a controllable, scalable and cost‐effective manner. Here, a versatile approach to the fabrication of multifunctional polymer‐based hydrogel membranes is demonstrated by a single step involving filtration of an aqueous dispersion containing chemically converted graphene (CCG) and a polymer. With CCG uniquely serving as a membrane‐ and pore‐forming directing agent and as a physical cross‐linker, a range of water soluble polymers can be readily processed into nanoporous hydrogel membranes through supramolecular interactions. With the interconnected CCG network as a robust and porous scaffold, the membrane nanostructure can easily be fine‐tuned to suit different applications simply by controlling the chemistry and concentration of the incorporated polymer. This work provides a simple and versatile platform for the design and fabrication of new adaptive supramolecular membranes for a variety of applications.

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