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CPP: Fachverband Chemische Physik und Polymerphysik

CPP 39: French-German Session: Nanomaterials, Composites and Hybrids I

CPP 39.4: Talk

Wednesday, March 11, 2026, 16:00–16:15, ZEU/0260

Increasing the Mechanical Stability of Carbon Nanomembranes Using a Holey Carbon Interlayer — •Luzie Lina Heinrichs, Zhen Yao, Yang Yang, and Armin Gölzhäuser — Faculty of Physics, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany

Carbon nanomembranes (CNMs) are atomically thin, with sub-nanometre pores that enable strong gas selectivity and fast, efficient water transport. However, their limited mechanical robustness has constrained their integration into practical filtration technologies.

In this study, we introduce a reinforced CNM architecture that incorporates an intermediate holey support layer. We fabricate and compare single-layer, double-layer, and holey film reinforced composite CNMs. Water permeation measurements using a cup test, combined with nanoindentation characterisation, show that the reinforced architecture preserves high water permeability while markedly improving mechanical stability. The effective Young's modulus reaches ~25 GPa, approximately five times higher than that of an unreinforced double layer.

By combining mechanical robustness with efficient single-file water transport and precise selectivity, the holey-layer-reinforced CNMs provide a promising route toward real-world applications, especially in seawater desalination.

Keywords: Carbon nanomembranes (CNMs); Reinforced membranes; Water permeation; Nanoindentation