Fabrication of graphene oxide membranes for industrial applications: Toward efficient separation of target organic compounds and inorganic salts

Efficient separation of organic compounds and inorganic salts is essential for chemical manufacturing, wastewater treatment, and resource recovery. However, current industrial challenges include resource loss and environmental risks due to inadequate solute recovery, compounded by the poor tolerance of polymer membranes to organic solvents. Graphene oxide (GO) membranes offer a promising solution with cost-effectiveness, solvent resistance, and reduced fouling, yet scalable production remains underdeveloped. This study demonstrates that tubular ceramic membranes serve as an excellent support layer for scaling up GO membrane fabrication. Using a three-time self-assembly method, GO/ceramic composite membranes achieved a 10.91 % NaCl rejection rate while exceeding 99.90 % rejection for Alizarin Red S (ARS) and Disodium Chromotropate Dihydrate (DCD). The molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) determined via polyethylene glycol (PEG) testing, was 1332 Da. Furthermore, a 19-channel high-membrane-area GO/ceramic composite membrane was fabricated, fulfilling industrial application and production requirements. This work presents a simple, cost-effective strategy for large-scale GO/ceramic membrane manufacturing, advancing their industrial application in low-carbon separation processes for organic–inorganic mixtures.