A comprehensive review on wettability, desalination, and purification using graphene-based materials at water interfaces

•Intrinsic wettability and wetting transparency of graphene were discussed.•Several modifications for superhydrophobic graphene were discussed.•Water desalination and purification by nanoporous graphene were discussed.

Graphene has several outstanding properties that make it suitable for use in a wide range of electronic devices and applications. Although the use of graphene has led to considerable increases in the performance of such devices, recent global concerns regarding water pollution have necessitated studies on graphene as a green material. The fact that graphene shows unique wetting characteristics and has a carbon-based porous structure suggests it should hold great promise for use in water desalination and purification. Thus, understanding the behavior of water at graphene interfaces is necessary for further enhancements in the desalination and purification processes. Hence, this review focuses on the recent advances made in these research areas, while considering the wettability of graphene, and aims to provide insights into the development of graphene-based water desalination and purification technologies.

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