Asymmetrically decorated, doped porous graphene as an effective membrane for hydrogen isotope separation

Abstract

We propose a new route to hydrogen isotope separation which exploits the quantum sieving effect in the context of transmission through asymmetrically decorated, doped porous graphenes. Selectivities of D₂ over H₂ as well as rate constants are calculated based on ab initio interaction potentials for passage through pure and nitrogen functionalized porous graphene. One-sided dressing of the membrane with metal provides the critical asymmetry needed for an energetically favorable pathway.