We present a review of both experiments and atomistically-detailed simulations of both
liquid and gas transport through carbon nanotube membranes. Carbon nanotubes have exceptional
transport properties due to the remarkable smoothness of the potential energy surface inside carbon
nanotubes. Membranes composed of carbon nanotubes have the potential to provide unparalleled
performance as gas and liquid separation membranes. Recent novel fabrication techniques that permit
the assembly of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes in membrane platforms are enabling the testing of
that transport performance. Potential applications of carbon nanotube membranes in desalination are
especially promising, as computer simulations indicate that membranes having nanotubes of the correct
diameter will be highly efficient at rejecting ions while allowing transport of water. Furthermore, recent
experimental studies suggest that ion exclusion can be controlled by electrostatic interactions between
the ions and fixed charges on the carbon nanotubes.
Keywords: Carbon nanotube membranes, computer simulations, vertical aligned carbon nanotube liquid
transport, gas transport, desalination, ion exclusion.
