Graphdiyne Confined-Membrane

Angstrom-scale gas sieving

A continuous membrane with vertically accessible intrinsic pores, selectively permeating 3-Å gas molecules while blocking larger ones.

Fan, Jingrui · Liu, Xing · Wang, Chunlei · Chen, Huiling · Yang, Guiping · Pan, Yichang · Shi, Guosheng · Francisco, Joseph S. · Zeng, Gaofeng

Nature Communications 2026

Advantages

Passes only 3-Å molecules

The membrane shows high selectivity for H₂ and He because the pore size of GDY strictly excludes molecules larger than 3 Å.

Polarization boosts separation

Theoretical calculations reveal that the selectivity originates from a synergy of strict size exclusion and an amplified electronic polarization effect within the GDY framework, enhancing the recognition of small molecules.

Versatile synthesis route

This work establishes a versatile strategy for developing advanced graphyne-family materials separation membranes, as GDY represents an extensive family with tunable pore size and functions.

Applications

• Gas separation membranes：Replace conventional graphene membranes for angstrom-precision small gas separation.
• Molecular sieving：Precisely sieve out molecules larger than 3 Å by pore size.
• H₂/He purification：Efficiently obtain high-purity H₂ and He from mixtures.