Scientists at Australian research centre CSIRO have used graphene to create a simple filtration system that could change the lives of millions in the developing world by making the process of purifying water faster and more effective.
The team at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in Sydney developed the system as an alternative to existing processes that they described as being time-consuming, expensive and unable to cope with common contaminants such as oil and detergents.

"Conventional water-filter membranes used in water purification are made from polymers and cannot handle a diverse mix of contaminants," said the scientists.
"They clog or allow contaminants to pass through, so they have to be separated out before the water is filtered. This technology can create clean drinking water, regardless of how dirty it is, in a single step." Because of its simplicity, the team believes that their graphene-based., which is able to purify and desalinate water without the multi-stage processes currently needed, could help billions of people around the world who don't have access to safe drinking water.
The system employs a film made from a thin layer of graphene, called Graphair, which allows water to pass through microscopic nanochannels in its surface while stopping pollutants with larger molecules.
Graphene is a material consisting of a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice that is hailed as the ...