PERFORATED MONOLAYERS

The synthesis of polymeric membranes that exhibit high permeation sele ctivity and high flux is a major challenge that has important technolo gical implications. In an effort to rationally design such materials, the concept of perforated monolayers (i.e., two-dimensional arrays of porous surfactants) has been introduced. Results that have been obtain ed to date, using prototype systems, provide considerable incentive fo r exploring and exploiting such ultrathin materials as novel membranes for separation.