1
|
Yanar N, Park S, Yang E, Choi H. Surface Fouling Characterization Methods for Polymeric Membranes Using a Short Experimental Study. Polymers (Basel) 2024; 16:2124. [PMID: 39125150 PMCID: PMC11314550 DOI: 10.3390/polym16152124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2024] [Revised: 07/12/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Membrane surface fouling has always been a critical issue for the long-term operation of polymeric membranes. Therefore, it is crucial to develop new approaches to prevent fouling. While developing new approaches, characterization methods are greatly important for understanding the distribution of fouling on the membrane surface. In this work, a cellulose acetate membrane was fouled by the filtration of artificial wastewater based on alginate. The surfaces of fouled membranes were characterized through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and white light interferometry (WLI). The results were then compared in terms of the resolution, accuracy, feasibility, and cost-efficiency.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Numan Yanar
- R&D Center, NAiEEL Technology, 6-2 Yuseongdaero 1205, Daejeon 34104, Republic of Korea
| | - Shinyun Park
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA;
| | - Eunmok Yang
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), 261 Cheomdangwagi-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea;
| | - Heechul Choi
- School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), 261 Cheomdangwagi-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea;
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Sarkar P, Wu C, Yang Z, Tang CY. Empowering ultrathin polyamide membranes at the water-energy nexus: strategies, limitations, and future perspectives. Chem Soc Rev 2024; 53:4374-4399. [PMID: 38529541 DOI: 10.1039/d3cs00803g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
Membrane-based separation is one of the most energy-efficient methods to meet the growing need for a significant amount of fresh water. It is also well-known for its applications in water treatment, desalination, solvent recycling, and environmental remediation. Most typical membranes used for separation-based applications are thin-film composite membranes created using polymers, featuring a top selective layer generated by employing the interfacial polymerization technique at an aqueous-organic interface. In the last decade, various manufacturing techniques have been developed in order to create high-specification membranes. Among them, the creation of ultrathin polyamide membranes has shown enormous potential for achieving a significant increase in the water permeation rate, translating into major energy savings in various applications. However, this great potential of ultrathin membranes is greatly hindered by undesired transport phenomena such as the geometry-induced "funnel effect" arising from the substrate membrane, severely limiting the actual permeation rate. As a result, the separation capability of ultrathin membranes is still not fully unleashed or understood, and a critical assessment of their limitations and potential solutions for future studies is still lacking. Here, we provide a summary of the latest developments in the design of ultrathin polyamide membranes, which have been achieved by controlling the interfacial polymerization process and utilizing a number of novel manufacturing processes for ionic and molecular separations. Next, an overview of the in-depth assessment of their limitations resulting from the substrate membrane, along with potential solutions and future perspectives will be covered in this review.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pulak Sarkar
- Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China.
| | - Chenyue Wu
- Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China.
| | - Zhe Yang
- Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China.
- Dow Centre for Sustainable Engineering Innovation, School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Chuyang Y Tang
- Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Welch BC, Antonio EN, Chaney TP, McIntee OM, Strzalka J, Bright VM, Greenberg AR, Segal-Peretz T, Toney M, George SM. Building Semipermeable Films One Monomer at a Time: Structural Advantages via Molecular Layer Deposition vs Interfacial Polymerization. CHEMISTRY OF MATERIALS : A PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY 2024; 36:1362-1374. [PMID: 38370278 PMCID: PMC10870709 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemmater.3c02519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Molecular layer deposition (MLD) provides the opportunity to perform condensation polymerization one vaporized monomer at a time for the creation of precise, selective nanofilms for desalination membranes. Here, we compare the structure, chemistry, and morphology of two types of commercial interfacial polymerzation (IP) membranes with lab-made MLD films. M-phenylenediamine (MPD) and trimesoyl chloride (TMC) produced a cross-linked, aromatic polyamide often used in reverse osmosis membranes at MLD growth rates of 2.9 Å/cycle at 115 °C. Likewise, piperazine (PIP) and TMC formed polypiperazine amide, a common selective layer in nanofiltration membranes, with MLD growth rates of 1.5 Å/cycle at 115 °C. Ellipsometry and X-ray reflectivity results suggest that the surface of the MLD films is comprised of polymer segments roughly two monomers in length, which are connected at one end to the cross-linked bulk layer. As a result of this structure as well as the triple-functionality of TMC, MPD-TMC had a temperature window of stable growth rate from 115 to 150 °C, which is unlike any non-cross-linked MLD chemistries reported in the literature. Compared to IP films, corresponding MLD films were denser and morphologically conformal, which suggests a reduction in void volumes; this explains the high degree of salt rejection and reduced flux previously observed for exceptionally thin MPD-TMC MLD membranes. Using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and infrared spectroscopy, MLD PIP-TMC films evidenced a completely cross-linked internal structure, which lacked amine and carboxyl groups, pointing to a hydrophobic bulk structure, ideal for optimized water flux. Grazing-incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering showed broad features in each polyamide with d-spacings of 5.0 Å in PIP-TMC compared to that of 3.8 Å in MPD-TMC. While MLD and IP films were structurally identical to PIP-TMC, MPD-TMC IP films had a structure that may have been altered by post-treatment compared to MLD films. These results provide foundational insights into the MLD process, structure-performance relationships, and membrane fabrication.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Brian C. Welch
- Israel
Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel
- University
of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Emma N. Antonio
- University
of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Thomas P. Chaney
- University
of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Olivia M. McIntee
- University
of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Joseph Strzalka
- Argonne
National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439, United States
| | - Victor M. Bright
- University
of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Alan R. Greenberg
- University
of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | | | - Michael Toney
- University
of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Steven M. George
- University
of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Dischinger S, Miller DJ, Vermaas DA, Kingsbury RS. Unifying the Conversation: Membrane Separation Performance in Energy, Water, and Industrial Applications. ACS ES&T ENGINEERING 2024; 4:277-289. [PMID: 38357245 PMCID: PMC10862477 DOI: 10.1021/acsestengg.3c00475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Dense polymer membranes enable a diverse range of separations and clean energy technologies, including gas separation, water treatment, and renewable fuel production or conversion. The transport of small molecular and ionic solutes in the majority of these membranes is described by the same solution-diffusion mechanism, yet a comparison of membrane separation performance across applications is rare. A better understanding of how structure-property relationships and driving forces compare among applications would drive innovation in membrane development by identifying opportunities for cross-disciplinary knowledge transfer. Here, we aim to inspire such cross-pollination by evaluating the selectivity and electrochemical driving forces for 29 separations across nine different applications using a common framework grounded in the physicochemical characteristics of the permeating and rejected solutes. Our analysis shows that highly selective membranes usually exhibit high solute rejection, rather than fast solute permeation, and often exploit contrasts in the size and charge of solutes rather than a nonelectrostatic chemical property, polarizability. We also highlight the power of selective driving forces (e.g., the fact that applied electric potential acts on charged solutes but not on neutral ones) to enable effective separation processes, even when the membrane itself has poor selectivity. We conclude by proposing several research opportunities that are likely to impact multiple areas of membrane science. The high-level perspective of membrane separation across fields presented herein aims to promote cross-pollination and innovation by enabling comparisons of solute transport and driving forces among membrane separation applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah
M. Dischinger
- Chemical
Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Daniel J. Miller
- Chemical
Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - David A. Vermaas
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Delft University
of Technology, 2629HZ Delft, The
Netherlands
| | - Ryan S. Kingsbury
- Energy
Storage and Distributed Resources Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Department
of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Andlinger Center for
Energy and the Environment, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08540, United States
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Yuan B, Zhang Y, Qi P, Yang D, Hu P, Zhao S, Zhang K, Zhang X, You M, Cui J, Jiang J, Lou X, Niu QJ. Self-assembled dendrimer polyamide nanofilms with enhanced effective pore area for ion separation. Nat Commun 2024; 15:471. [PMID: 38212318 PMCID: PMC10784486 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44530-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Membrane technology using well-defined pore structure can achieve high ion purity and recovery. However, fine-tuning the inner pore structure of the separation nanofilm to be uniform and enhance the effective pore area is still challenging. Here, we report dendrimers with different peripheral groups that preferentially self-assemble in aqueous-phase amine solution to facilitate the formation of polyamide nanofilms with a well-defined effective pore range and uniform pore structure. The high permeabilities are maintained by forming asymmetric hollow nanostripe nanofilms, and their well-designed ion effective separation pore ranges show an enhancement, rationalized by molecular simulation. The self-assembled dendrimer polyamide membrane provides Cl-/SO42- selectivity more than 17 times that of its pristine polyamide counterparts, increasing from 167.9 to 2883.0. Furthermore, the designed membranes achieve higher Li purity and Li recovery compared to current state-of-the-art membranes. Such an approach provides a scalable strategy to fine-tune subnanometre structures in ion separation nanofilms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bingbing Yuan
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions Ministry of Education, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Aquatic Toxicology and Health Protection, Henan Normal University, 453007, Xinxiang, China.
| | - Yuhang Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions Ministry of Education, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Aquatic Toxicology and Health Protection, Henan Normal University, 453007, Xinxiang, China
| | - Pengfei Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Separation Membranes and Membrane Processes, National Center for International Research on Membrane Science and Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tiangong University, Tianjin, 300387, P. R. China
| | - Dongxiao Yang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions Ministry of Education, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Aquatic Toxicology and Health Protection, Henan Normal University, 453007, Xinxiang, China
| | - Ping Hu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions Ministry of Education, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Aquatic Toxicology and Health Protection, Henan Normal University, 453007, Xinxiang, China
| | - Siheng Zhao
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions Ministry of Education, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Aquatic Toxicology and Health Protection, Henan Normal University, 453007, Xinxiang, China
- Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Nanshan District Shenzhen, 518060, Guangdong, China
| | - Kaili Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions Ministry of Education, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Aquatic Toxicology and Health Protection, Henan Normal University, 453007, Xinxiang, China
| | - Xiaozhuan Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions Ministry of Education, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Aquatic Toxicology and Health Protection, Henan Normal University, 453007, Xinxiang, China
| | - Meng You
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions Ministry of Education, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Aquatic Toxicology and Health Protection, Henan Normal University, 453007, Xinxiang, China
| | - Jiabao Cui
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions Ministry of Education, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Aquatic Toxicology and Health Protection, Henan Normal University, 453007, Xinxiang, China
| | - Juhui Jiang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions Ministry of Education, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Aquatic Toxicology and Health Protection, Henan Normal University, 453007, Xinxiang, China
| | - Xiangdong Lou
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions Ministry of Education, Henan International Joint Laboratory of Aquatic Toxicology and Health Protection, Henan Normal University, 453007, Xinxiang, China
| | - Q Jason Niu
- Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Nanshan District Shenzhen, 518060, Guangdong, China.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Zhou Z, Yan Y, Li X, Zeng F, Shao S. Effect of urea-based chemical cleaning on TrOCs rejection by nanofiltration membranes. Sep Purif Technol 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2023.123662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
|
7
|
Perry LA, Chew NGP, Grzebyk K, Cay-Durgun P, Lind ML, Sitaula P, Soukri M, Coronell O. Correlating the Role of Nanofillers with Active Layer Properties and Performance of Thin-Film Nanocomposite Membranes. DESALINATION 2023; 550:116370. [PMID: 37274380 PMCID: PMC10237506 DOI: 10.1016/j.desal.2023.116370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Thin-film nanocomposite (TFN) membranes are emerging water-purification membranes that could provide enhanced water permeance with similar solute removal over traditional thin-film composite (TFC) membranes. However, the effects of nanofiller incorporation on active layer physico-chemical properties have not been comprehensively studied. Accordingly, we aimed to understand the correlation between nanofillers, active layer physico-chemical properties, and membrane performance by investigating whether observed performance differences between TFN and control TFC membranes correlated with observed differences in physico-chemical properties. The effects of nanofiller loading, surface area, and size on membrane performance, along with active layer physico-chemical properties, were characterized in TFN membranes incorporated with Linde Type A (LTA) zeolite and zeolitic imidazole framework-8 (ZIF-8). Results show that nanofiller incorporation up to ~0.15 wt% resulted in higher water permeance and unchanged salt rejection, above which salt rejection decreased 0.9-25.6% and 26.1-48.3% for LTA-TFN and ZIF-8-TFN membranes, respectively. Observed changes in active layer physico-chemical properties were generally unsubstantial and did not explain observed changes in TFN membrane performance. Therefore, increased water permeance in TFN membranes could be due to preferential water transport through porous structures of nanofillers or along polymer-nanofiller interfaces. These findings offer new insights into the development of high-performance TFN membranes for water/ion separations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lamar A. Perry
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7431, USA
- Curriculum in Applied Sciences and Engineering, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7431, USA
| | - Nick Guan Pin Chew
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7431, USA
| | - Kasia Grzebyk
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7431, USA
| | - Pinar Cay-Durgun
- School for Engineering of Matter, Transport, and Energy, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Mary Laura Lind
- School for Engineering of Matter, Transport, and Energy, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
| | - Paban Sitaula
- RTI International, 3040 East Cornwallis Road, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC 27709-2194, USA
| | - Mustapha Soukri
- RTI International, 3040 East Cornwallis Road, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC 27709-2194, USA
| | - Orlando Coronell
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7431, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Wang L, Cao T, Pataroque KE, Kaneda M, Biesheuvel PM, Elimelech M. Significance of Co-ion Partitioning in Salt Transport through Polyamide Reverse Osmosis Membranes. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:3930-3939. [PMID: 36815574 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c09772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Salt permeability of polyamide reverse osmosis (RO) membranes has been shown to increase with increasing feed salt concentration. The dependence of salt permeability on salt concentration has been attributed to the variation of salt partitioning with feed salt concentration. However, studies using various analytical techniques revealed that the salt (total ion) partitioning coefficient decreases with increasing salt concentration, in marked contrast to the observed increase in salt permeability. Herein, we thoroughly investigate the dependence of total ion and co-ion partitioning coefficients on salt concentration and solution pH. The salt partitioning is measured using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), while the co-ion partitioning is calculated from the measured salt partitioning using a modified Donnan theory. Our results demonstrate that the co-ion and total ion partitioning behave entirely differently with increasing salt concentrations. Specifically, the co-ion partitioning increased fourfold, while total ion partitioning decreased by 60% as the salt (NaCl) concentration increased from 100 to 800 mM. The increase in co-ion partitioning with increasing salt concentration is in accordance with the increasing trend of salt permeability in RO experiments. We further show that the dependence of salt and co-ion partitioning on salt concentration is much more pronounced at a higher solution pH. The good co-ion exclusion (GCE) model─derived from the solution-friction model─is used to calculate the salt permeability based on the co-ion partitioning coefficients. Our results show that the GCE model predicts the salt permeabilities in RO experiments relatively well, indicating that co-ion partitioning, not salt partitioning, governs salt transport through RO membranes. Our study provides an in-depth understanding of ion partitioning in polyamide RO membranes and its relationship with salt transport.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Li Wang
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8286, United States
| | - Tianchi Cao
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8286, United States
| | - Kevin E Pataroque
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8286, United States
| | - Masashi Kaneda
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8286, United States
| | - P Maarten Biesheuvel
- European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, Wetsus, Leeuwarden 8911 MA, The Netherlands
| | - Menachem Elimelech
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8286, United States
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Ren Y, Qi P, Wan Y, Chen C, Chen X, Feng S, Luo J. Planting Anion Channels in a Negatively Charged Polyamide Layer for Highly Selective Nanofiltration Separation. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:18018-18029. [PMID: 36445263 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c06582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
A nanofiltration (NF) membrane with high salt permeation and high retention of small organics is appealing for the treatment of high-salinity organic wastewater. However, the conventional negatively charged NF membranes commonly show high retention of divalent anions (e.g., SO42-), and the reported positively charged NF membranes normally suffer super low selectivity for small organics/Na2SO4 and high fouling potential. In this work, we propose a novel "etching-swelling-planting" strategy assisted by interfacial polymerization and mussel-inspired catecholamine chemistry to prepare a mix-charged NF membrane. By X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy depth profiling and pore size distribution analysis, it was found that such a strategy could not only deepen the positive charge distribution but also narrow the pore size. Molecular dynamics confirm that the planted polyethyleneimine chains play an important role to relay SO42- ions to facilitate their transport across the membrane, thus reversing the retention of Na2SO4 and glucose (43 vs 71%). Meanwhile, due to the high surface hydrophilicity and smoothness as well as the preservation of abundant negatively charged groups (-OH and -COOH) inside the separation layer, the obtained membrane exhibited excellent antifouling performance, even for the coking wastewater. This study advances the importance of vertical charge distribution of NF membranes in separation selectivity and antifouling performance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuling Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100190, China
| | - Pengfei Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Separation Membranes and Membrane Processes, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tiangong University, Tianjin300387, China
| | - Yinhua Wan
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100190, China
- Ganjiang Innovation Academy, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ganzhou341119, China
| | - Chulong Chen
- ZheJiang MEY Membrane Technology Co., Ltd., Hangzhou310012, China
| | - Xiangrong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100190, China
| | - Shichao Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100190, China
| | - Jianquan Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing100190, China
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Li Y, Shi M. Controlled solvent activation by iron (III) acetylacetonate for improving polyamide reverse osmosis membrane performance. Sep Purif Technol 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2022.122984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
|
11
|
Li X, Jiao C, Zhang X, Li X, Song X, Zhang Z, Jiang H. Ultrathin polyamide membrane tailored by mono-(6-ethanediamine-6-deoxy)-β-cyclodextrin for CO2 separation. J Memb Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2022.121165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
|
12
|
Shao S, Zeng F, Long L, Zhu X, Peng LE, Wang F, Yang Z, Tang CY. Nanofiltration Membranes with Crumpled Polyamide Films: A Critical Review on Mechanisms, Performances, and Environmental Applications. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:12811-12827. [PMID: 36048162 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c04736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Nanofiltration (NF) membranes have been widely applied in many important environmental applications, including water softening, surface/groundwater purification, wastewater treatment, and water reuse. In recent years, a new class of piperazine (PIP)-based NF membranes featuring a crumpled polyamide layer has received considerable attention because of their great potential for achieving dramatic improvements in membrane separation performance. Since the report of novel crumpled Turing structures that exhibited an order of magnitude enhancement in water permeance ( Science 2018, 360 (6388), 518-521), the number of published research papers on this emerging topic has grown exponentially to approximately 200. In this critical review, we provide a systematic framework to classify the crumpled NF morphologies. The fundamental mechanisms and fabrication methods involved in the formation of these crumpled morphologies are summarized. We then discuss the transport of water and solutes in crumpled NF membranes and how these transport phenomena could simultaneously improve membrane water permeance, selectivity, and antifouling performance. The environmental applications of these emerging NF membranes are highlighted, and future research opportunities/needs are identified. The fundamental insights in this review provide critical guidance on the further development of high-performance NF membranes tailored for a wide range of environmental applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Senlin Shao
- School of Civil Engineering, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, PR China
| | - Fanxi Zeng
- School of Civil Engineering, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, PR China
| | - Li Long
- Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, SAR, China
| | - Xuewu Zhu
- School of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101, PR China
| | - Lu Elfa Peng
- Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, SAR, China
| | - Fei Wang
- Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, SAR, China
| | - Zhe Yang
- Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, SAR, China
| | - Chuyang Y Tang
- Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, SAR, China
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Vacuum-assisted MPD loading toward promoted nanoscale structure and enhanced water permeance of polyamide RO membrane. Sep Purif Technol 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2022.121547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
|
14
|
Fraser AC, Chew NGP, Hegde M, Liu F, Liu CW, Coronell O, Dingemans TJ. Linear versus Nonlinear Aromatic Polyamides: The Role of Backbone Geometry in Thin Film Salt Exclusion Membranes. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:36143-36156. [PMID: 35901316 PMCID: PMC9711938 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c09810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Two aromatic polyamides─poly(3,3'-dihydroxybenzidine terephthalamide) (DHTA) and poly(3,3'-dihydroxybenzidine isophthalamide) (DHIA)─are compared for their ability to remove salts from water. DHTA is linear and rigid whereas DHIA is nonlinear and semirigid. DHTA and DHIA were selected as they allow us to investigate the effect of polymer backbone geometry on salt exclusion in a non-crosslinked thin film membrane, independently of the backbone chemistry. Because of their differences in solution viscosity, spin coating parameters for DHTA and DHIA solutions were optimized separately to produce thin film composites (TFCs) with reproducible membrane properties. The resulting DHTA TFCs displayed salt rejections of 87.8% (NaCl), 97.0% (MgSO4), and 80.3% (CaCl2). In comparison, DHIA TFCs demonstrated poor salt rejections of 21.0% (NaCl), 29.3% (MgSO4), and 15.4% (CaCl2). Cross-sectional SEM images of DHTA and DHIA films reveal that DHTA has a stratified (layered) morphology whereas DHIA exhibits a dense, featureless morphology. Both DHTA and DHIA TFCs exhibit similar surface morphology, contact angle, surface charge, and water uptake. PEG rejection experiments indicate that the average pore size of DHTA TFCs is ∼2 nm while DHIA TFCs have an average pore size of ∼3 nm. Our findings illustrate that using a rigid, linear aromatic polyamide gives an active layer with a stratified morphology, uniplanar orientation, smaller pores, and higher salt rejection, whereas the nonlinear aromatic polyamide analogue results in an isotropic active layer with larger pores and lower salt rejection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna C Fraser
- Department of Applied Physical Sciences, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3050, United States
| | - Nick Guan Pin Chew
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7431, United States
| | - Maruti Hegde
- Department of Applied Physical Sciences, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3050, United States
| | - Fei Liu
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7431, United States
| | - Chih-Wei Liu
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7431, United States
| | - Orlando Coronell
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7431, United States
| | - Theo J Dingemans
- Department of Applied Physical Sciences, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3050, United States
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Zhang M, Hu X, Peng L, Zhou S, Zhou Y, Xie S, Song X, Gao C. The Intrinsic Parameters of the Polyamide Nanofilm in Thin-Film Composite Reverse Osmosis (TFC-RO) Membranes: The Impact of Monomer Concentration. MEMBRANES 2022; 12:membranes12040417. [PMID: 35448387 PMCID: PMC9032585 DOI: 10.3390/membranes12040417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The realistic resistance zone of water and salt molecules to transport across a TFC-RO membrane is the topmost polyamide nanofilm. The existence of hollow voids in the fully aromatic polyamide (PA) film gives its surface ridge-and-valley morphologies, which confuses the comprehensions of the definition of the PA thickness. The hollow voids, however, neither participate in salt–water separation nor hinder water penetrating. In this paper, the influence of intrinsic thickness (single wall thickness) of the PA layer on water permeability was studied by adjusting the concentration of reacting monomers. It confirms that the true permeation resistance of water molecules originates from the intrinsic thickness portion of the membrane. The experimental results show that the water permeability constant decreases from 3.15 ± 0.02 to 2.74 ± 0.10 L·m−2·h−1·bar−1 when the intrinsic thickness of the membrane increases by 9 nm. The defects on the film surface generate when the higher concentration of MPD is matched with the relatively low concentration of TMC. In addition, the role of MPD and TMC in the micro-structure of the PA membrane was discussed, which may provide a new way for the preparation of high permeability and high selectivity composite reverse osmosis membranes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mengling Zhang
- Center for Membrane Separation and Water Science & Technology, Ocean College, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China; (M.Z.); (X.H.); (L.P.); (S.Z.); (C.G.)
| | - Xiangyang Hu
- Center for Membrane Separation and Water Science & Technology, Ocean College, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China; (M.Z.); (X.H.); (L.P.); (S.Z.); (C.G.)
| | - Lei Peng
- Center for Membrane Separation and Water Science & Technology, Ocean College, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China; (M.Z.); (X.H.); (L.P.); (S.Z.); (C.G.)
| | - Shilin Zhou
- Center for Membrane Separation and Water Science & Technology, Ocean College, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China; (M.Z.); (X.H.); (L.P.); (S.Z.); (C.G.)
| | - Yong Zhou
- Center for Membrane Separation and Water Science & Technology, Ocean College, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China; (M.Z.); (X.H.); (L.P.); (S.Z.); (C.G.)
- Correspondence: (Y.Z.); (S.X.); (X.S.)
| | - Shijie Xie
- Center for Membrane Separation and Water Science & Technology, Ocean College, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China; (M.Z.); (X.H.); (L.P.); (S.Z.); (C.G.)
- Correspondence: (Y.Z.); (S.X.); (X.S.)
| | - Xiaoxiao Song
- Bruker Shanghai Office 9F, Building NO.1, Lane 2570 Hechuan Rd, Minhang District, Shanghai 200233, China
- Correspondence: (Y.Z.); (S.X.); (X.S.)
| | - Congjie Gao
- Center for Membrane Separation and Water Science & Technology, Ocean College, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China; (M.Z.); (X.H.); (L.P.); (S.Z.); (C.G.)
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Nieuwendaal RC, Wilbur JD, Welsh D, Witherspoon V, Stafford CM. A method to quantify composition, purity, and cross-link density of the active polyamide layer in reverse osmosis composite membranes using 13C cross polarization magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. J Memb Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2022.120346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|
17
|
Song X, Teuler JM, Guiga W, Fargues C, Rousseau B. Molecular simulation of a reverse osmosis polyamide membrane layer. In silico synthesis using different reactant concentration ratios. J Memb Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2021.120010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
|
18
|
An H, Smith JW, Ji B, Cotty S, Zhou S, Yao L, Kalutantirige FC, Chen W, Ou Z, Su X, Feng J, Chen Q. Mechanism and performance relevance of nanomorphogenesis in polyamide films revealed by quantitative 3D imaging and machine learning. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabk1888. [PMID: 35196079 PMCID: PMC8865778 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abk1888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Biological morphogenesis has inspired many efficient strategies to diversify material structure and functionality using a fixed set of components. However, implementation of morphogenesis concepts to design soft nanomaterials is underexplored. Here, we study nanomorphogenesis in the form of the three-dimensional (3D) crumpling of polyamide membranes used for commercial molecular separation, through an unprecedented integration of electron tomography, reaction-diffusion theory, machine learning (ML), and liquid-phase atomic force microscopy. 3D tomograms show that the spatial arrangement of crumples scales with monomer concentrations in a form quantitatively consistent with a Turing instability. Membrane microenvironments quantified from the nanomorphologies of crumples are combined with the Spiegler-Kedem model to accurately predict methanol permeance. ML classifies vastly heterogeneous crumples into just four morphology groups, exhibiting distinct mechanical properties. Our work forges quantitative links between synthesis and performance in polymer thin films, which can be applicable to diverse soft nanomaterials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hyosung An
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA
- Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - John W. Smith
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Bingqiang Ji
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Stephen Cotty
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Shan Zhou
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Lehan Yao
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA
| | | | - Wenxiang Chen
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA
- Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Zihao Ou
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Xiao Su
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Jie Feng
- Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Qian Chen
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA
- Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Grzebyk K, Armstrong MD, Coronell O. Accessing greater thickness and new morphology features in polyamide active layers of thin-film composite membranes by reducing restrictions in amine monomer supply. J Memb Sci 2022; 644:120112. [PMID: 35221456 PMCID: PMC8870508 DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2021.120112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Polyamide formation, via interfacial polymerization (IP) during thin-film composite (TFC) membrane fabrication, is regarded as self-limiting-in the sense that the polyamide film limits its own growth as it forms. During IP, trimesoyl chloride (TMC) and m-phenylenediamine (MPD) react rapidly to form an incipient polyamide film that densifies and slows the diffusion of the more permeable monomer (MPD), thereby limiting polyamide growth and yielding films that typically exhibit thicknesses <350 nm. The morphology of these polyamide films is characterized by a basal layer of void nodular and leaf-like features that is sometimes overlaid by a secondary layer of overlapping flat features. Here, we present evidence showing that polyamide active layers are substantially permeable to MPD, and that minimizing certain restrictions in the MPD supply conditions during IP can result in polyamide active layers of thicknesses several times greater (>1 μm) than those typically reported in the literature. In addition to the basal layer of void nodular features and secondary layer of overlapping flat features that characterize typical polyamide active layers, the thicker films also exhibited three additional morphological features: blanket-like layers atop the basal layer or other void features, multi-layer void structures, and/or void mega-nodules (up to over a micron in diameter). Overall, the results indicate that reducing restrictions in the MPD supply conditions during IP: (1) overcomes the limited polyamide growth observed in conventional TFC membrane fabrication and (2) leads to film morphologies with a more prominent void structure. This latter observation is consistent with recent literature describing the role of CO2 degassing and nanobubble confinement in the development of polyamide active layer morphology. Future studies could vary MPD supply conditions as a new tool to expand the range of achievable thicknesses in active layer casting, regulate active layer morphology and optimize nanobubble confinement conditions independently of MPD supply. Such capabilities could aid in the development of novel supports and TFC structures.
Collapse
|
20
|
Agata WS, Thompson J, Geise GM. Layer‐by‐layer
approach to enable polyamide formation on microporous supports for
thin‐film
composite membranes. J Appl Polym Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/app.51201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Joseph Thompson
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering University of Virginia Charlottesville Virginia USA
| | - Geoffrey M. Geise
- Department of Chemical Engineering University of Virginia Charlottesville Virginia USA
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Contreras-Martínez J, Mohsenpour S, Ameen AW, Budd PM, García-Payo C, Khayet M, Gorgojo P. High-Flux Thin Film Composite PIM-1 Membranes for Butanol Recovery: Experimental Study and Process Simulations. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:42635-42649. [PMID: 34469119 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c09112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Thin film composite (TFC) membranes of the prototypical polymer of intrinsic microporosity (PIM-1) have been prepared by dip-coating on a highly porous electrospun polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) nanofibrous support. Prior to coating, the support was impregnated in a non-solvent to avoid the penetration of PIM-1 inside the PVDF network. Different non-solvents were considered and the results were compared with those of the dry support. When applied for the separation of n-butanol/water mixtures by pervaporation (PV), the developed membranes exhibited very high permeate fluxes, in the range of 16.1-35.4 kg m-2 h-1, with an acceptable n-butanol/water separation factor of about 8. The PV separation index (PSI) of the prepared membranes is around 115, which is among the highest PSI values that have been reported so far. Hybrid PV-distillation systems have been designed and modeled in Aspen HYSYS using Aspen Custom Modeler for setting up the PIM-1 TFC and commercial PDMS membranes as a benchmark. The butanol recovery cost for the hybrid systems is compared with a conventional stand-alone distillation process used for n-butanol/water separation, and a 10% reduction in recovery cost was obtained.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Contreras-Martínez
- Department of Structure of Matter, Thermal Physics and Electronics, Faculty of Physics, University Complutense of Madrid, Avda. Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science, School of Engineering, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, M13 9PL Manchester, U.K
| | - Sajjad Mohsenpour
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science, School of Engineering, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, M13 9PL Manchester, U.K
| | - Ahmed W Ameen
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science, School of Engineering, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, M13 9PL Manchester, U.K
| | - Peter M Budd
- Department of Chemistry, School of Natural Sciences, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, M13 9PL Manchester, U.K
| | - Carmen García-Payo
- Department of Structure of Matter, Thermal Physics and Electronics, Faculty of Physics, University Complutense of Madrid, Avda. Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Mohamed Khayet
- Department of Structure of Matter, Thermal Physics and Electronics, Faculty of Physics, University Complutense of Madrid, Avda. Complutense s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- Madrid Institute for Advanced Studies of Water (IMDEA Water Institute), Avda. Punto Com No 2, Alcalá de Henares, 28805 Madrid, Spain
| | - Patricia Gorgojo
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science, School of Engineering, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, M13 9PL Manchester, U.K
- Nanoscience and Materials Institute of Aragón (INMA) CSIC-Universidad de Zaragoza, C/Mariano Esquillor s/n, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain
- Chemical and Environmental Engineering Department, Universidad de Zaragoza, C/Pedro Cerbuna 12, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Yuan B, Zhang S, Jiang C, Hu P, Cui J, Zhao S, Wang N, Niu QJ. Alicyclic polyamide nanofilms with an asymmetric structure for Cl
−
/
SO
4
2
−
separation. AIChE J 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/aic.17419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bingbing Yuan
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions, Ministry of Education Henan Normal University Xinxiang Henan China
| | - Shanshan Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions, Ministry of Education Henan Normal University Xinxiang Henan China
| | - Chi Jiang
- Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University Shenzhen Guangdong China
- State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, College of Chemical Engineering China University of Petroleum (East China) Qingdao Shandong China
| | - Ping Hu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions, Ministry of Education Henan Normal University Xinxiang Henan China
| | - Jiabao Cui
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions, Ministry of Education Henan Normal University Xinxiang Henan China
| | - Siheng Zhao
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions, Ministry of Education Henan Normal University Xinxiang Henan China
| | - Ning Wang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions, Ministry of Education Henan Normal University Xinxiang Henan China
| | - Q. Jason Niu
- Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University Shenzhen Guangdong China
- State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, College of Chemical Engineering China University of Petroleum (East China) Qingdao Shandong China
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Chen X, Boo C, Yip NY. Influence of Solute Molecular Diameter on Permeability-Selectivity Tradeoff of Thin-Film Composite Polyamide Membranes in Aqueous Separations. WATER RESEARCH 2021; 201:117311. [PMID: 34192614 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Fundamental understanding of the reverse osmosis (RO) transport phenomena is necessary for quantitative prediction of contaminant rejection and development of more selective membranes. The solution-diffusion (S-D) model predicts a tradeoff relationship between permeability and selectivity, and this tradeoff trend was recently reported for RO. But the first principles governing the relationship are not well understood for aqueous separation membranes. This study presents a framework to elucidate the underlying factors of the permeability-selectivity tradeoff relationship in thin-film composite polyamide (TFC-PA) membranes. Water and solute permeabilities of membranes with a range of selectivities are examined using six nonelectrolyte solutes of various sizes and dimensions. The permeability-selectivity tradeoff trend, as defined by S-D, was observed for all six solutes. Crucially, the slopes of the tradeoff lines, λ, are found to be related to the solute and solvent (i.e., water) diameters, ds and dw, respectively, by λ = (ds/dw)2 - 1, consistent with the S-D framework established for gas separation membranes. Additionally, the intercepts of the tradeoff lines are shown to be also influenced by ds. These results highlight that solute molecular diameter is a primary influence on the permeability-selectivity tradeoff for the permeants investigated in this study. Furthermore, a transport regime where solute permeation is only very weakly coupled to water transport, in addition to the conventional S-D, is identified for the first time. We demonstrate that the boundary delineating the two transport regimes can be determined by the solute diameter. The relationship between characteristic features of the "additional regime" and solute dimensions are analyzed. The study shows that the general principles of the S-D framework are applicable to TFC-PA membranes and the analysis quantified the principal role of solute size in governing RO transport. The experimental and analytical evidence suggest that nonelectrolyte solute transport can, in principle, be a priori predicted using molecular diameter. Findings of this investigation provide new insights for understanding the transport mechanisms in osmotic membrane processes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xi Chen
- Department of Earth and Environmental Engineering, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027-6623, United States
| | - Chanhee Boo
- Department of Earth and Environmental Engineering, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027-6623, United States
| | - Ngai Yin Yip
- Department of Earth and Environmental Engineering, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027-6623, United States; Columbia Water Center, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027-6623, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Matin A, Laoui T, Falath W, Farooque M. Fouling control in reverse osmosis for water desalination & reuse: Current practices & emerging environment-friendly technologies. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 765:142721. [PMID: 33129530 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Reverse Osmosis (RO) is becoming increasingly popular for seawater desalination and wastewater reclamation. However, fouling of the membranes adversely impacts the overall process efficiency and economics. To date, several strategies and approaches have been used in RO plants and investigated at the laboratory-scale for their effectiveness in the control of different fouling types. Amid growing concerns and stringent regulations for the conservation of environment, there is an increasing trend to identify technologies that are effective in fouling mitigation as well as friendly to the environment. The present review elaborates on the different types of environment-friendly technologies for membrane fouling control that are currently being used or under investigation. It commences with a brief introduction to the global water crisis and the potential of membrane-based processes in overcoming this problem. This is followed by a section on membrane fouling that briefly describes the major fouling types and their impact on the membrane performance. Section 3 discusses the predominant fouling control/prevention strategies including feedwater pretreatment, membrane and spacer surface modification and membrane cleaning. The currently employed techniques are discussed together with their drawbacks, with some light being shed on the emerging technologies that have the ability to overcome the current limitations. The penultimate section provides a detailed discussion on a variety of eco-friendly/chemical free techniques investigated to control different fouling types. These include both control and prevention strategies, for example, bioflocculation and electromagnetic fields, as well as remediation techniques such as osmotic backwashing and gas purging. In addition, quorum sensing has been specifically discussed for biofouling remediation. The promising findings from different studies are presented followed by a discussion on their drawbacks and limitations. The review concludes with a need for carrying out fundamental studies to develop better understanding of the eco-friendly processes discussed in the penultimate section and their optimization for possible integration into the RO plants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Asif Matin
- Center of Research Excellence in Desalination & Water Treatment, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia; Center for Environment & Water, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Tahar Laoui
- Dept. of Mechanical & Nuclear Engineering, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates; Desalination Research Group, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates.
| | - Wail Falath
- Center of Research Excellence in Desalination & Water Treatment, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia; Center for Environment & Water, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia; Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Mohammed Farooque
- Desalination Technologies Research Institute, Saline Water Conversion Corporation, Jubail, Saudi Arabia
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Wang J, Armstrong MD, Grzebyk K, Vickers R, Coronell O. Effect of Feed Water pH on the Partitioning of Alkali Metal Salts from Aqueous Phase into the Polyamide Active Layers of Reverse Osmosis Membranes. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:3250-3259. [PMID: 33600153 PMCID: PMC7949323 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c06140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The partitioning of solutes into the polyamide active layers of reverse osmosis (RO) membranes is a key membrane property determining solute permeation. Quantification of partition coefficients and their dependence on feedwater pH would contribute to the development of predictive transport models of contaminant transport through RO membranes; however, neither solute partitioning nor the effect of feed solution pH on partitioning has been thoroughly characterized in the literature. Accordingly, we characterized the partitioning of all chloride salts of alkali metals (CsCl, RbCl, KCl, NaCl, and LiCl) from the aqueous phase into the polyamide active layers of five polyamide RO membranes, including one prepared in-house and four commercial membranes. We evaluated the effect of pH on the partitioning of alkali metal salts and whether the effect of pH on salt partitioning and rejection is consistent with Donnan theory predictions. Results showed that for all membranes, the partition coefficients of all salts were less than one and did not differ substantially among RO membranes. Results also indicated that for all membranes tested, Donnan theory provided an appropriate theoretical framework to estimate the effect of pH on salt partitioning (evaluated for all chloride salts of alkali metals) and salt rejection (evaluated for NaCl). Thus, we conclude that changes in salt rejection resulting from feed solution pH are primarily driven by changes in salt partitioning with comparatively small changes in salt diffusion coefficients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Orlando Coronell
- Corresponding author [tel: +1-919-966-9010; fax:
+1- 919-966-7911; ]
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Zhao S, Li L, Wang M, Tao L, Hou Y, Niu QJ. Rapid in-situ covalent crosslinking to construct a novel azo-based interlayer for high-performance nanofiltration membrane. Sep Purif Technol 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2020.118029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
|
27
|
Song X, Guiga W, Rousseau B, Jonquieres A, Weil R, Grzelka M, Waeytens J, Dazzi A, Dragoe D, Fargues C. Experimental Characterization of Commercial and Synthesized Aromatic Polyamide Films for Reverse Osmosis Membranes. Ind Eng Chem Res 2021. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.0c05393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xuefan Song
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, UMR SayFood, 91300 Massy, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut de Chimie Physique, UMR8000, 91405 Orsay, France
| | - Wafa Guiga
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, UMR SayFood, 91300 Massy, France
- Le Cnam, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Bernard Rousseau
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut de Chimie Physique, UMR8000, 91405 Orsay, France
| | - Anne Jonquieres
- Laboratoire de Chimie Physique Macromoléculaire (LCPM), UMR 7375, Université de Lorraine, CNRS, LCPM, F-54000 Nancy, France
| | - Raphaël Weil
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, UMR 8502, 91405 Orsay, France
| | - Marion Grzelka
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, UMR 8502, 91405 Orsay, France
| | - Jehan Waeytens
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut de Chimie Physique, UMR8000, 91405 Orsay, France
- Structure et Fonction des Membranes Biologiques, Université libre de Bruxelles, 1050 Bruxelles, Belgique
| | - Alexandre Dazzi
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut de Chimie Physique, UMR8000, 91405 Orsay, France
| | - Diana Dragoe
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, Institut de Chimie Moléculaire et des Matériaux UMR 8182, 91405 Orsay, France
| | - Claire Fargues
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, UMR SayFood, 91300 Massy, France
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Zhao Y, Tong T, Wang X, Lin S, Reid EM, Chen Y. Differentiating Solutes with Precise Nanofiltration for Next Generation Environmental Separations: A Review. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:1359-1376. [PMID: 33439001 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c04593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Selective removal or enrichment of targeted solutes including micropollutants, valuable elements, and mineral scalants from complex aqueous matrices is both challenging and pivotal to the success of water purification and resource recovery from unconventional water resources. Membrane separation with precision at the subnanometer or even subangstrom scale is of paramount importance to address those challenges via enabling "fit-for-purpose" water and wastewater treatment. So far, researchers have attempted to develop novel membrane materials with precise and tailored selectivity by tuning membrane structure and chemistry. In this critical review, we first present the environmental challenges and opportunities that necessitate improved solute-solute selectivity in membrane separation. We then discuss the mechanisms and desired membrane properties required for better membrane selectivity. On the basis of the most recent progress reported in the literature, we examine the key principles of material design and fabrication, which create membranes with enhanced and more targeted selectivity. We highlight the important roles of surface engineering, nanotechnology, and molecular-level design in improving membrane selectivity. Finally, we discuss the challenges and prospects of highly selective NF membranes for practical environmental applications, identifying knowledge gaps that will guide future research to promote environmental sustainability through more precise and tunable membrane separation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yangying Zhao
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Tiezheng Tong
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado 80523, United States
| | - Xiaomao Wang
- State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Shihong Lin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, United States
| | - Elliot M Reid
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Yongsheng Chen
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Culp TE, Khara B, Brickey KP, Geitner M, Zimudzi TJ, Wilbur JD, Jons SD, Roy A, Paul M, Ganapathysubramanian B, Zydney AL, Kumar M, Gomez ED. Nanoscale control of internal inhomogeneity enhances water transport in desalination membranes. Science 2021; 371:72-75. [DOI: 10.1126/science.abb8518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Tyler E. Culp
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Biswajit Khara
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Kaitlyn P. Brickey
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Michael Geitner
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Tawanda J. Zimudzi
- Materials Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | | | | | - Abhishek Roy
- The Dow Chemical Company, Freeport, TX 77541, USA
| | - Mou Paul
- The Dow Chemical Company, Lake Jackson, TX 77566, USA
| | | | - Andrew L. Zydney
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Manish Kumar
- Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Enrique D. Gomez
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Materials Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
|
31
|
Ogieglo W, Idarraga-Mora JA, Husson SM, Pinnau I. Direct ellipsometry for non-destructive characterization of interfacially-polymerized thin-film composite membranes. J Memb Sci 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2020.118174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
|
32
|
Comparison of water and salt transport properties of ion exchange, reverse osmosis, and nanofiltration membranes for desalination and energy applications. J Memb Sci 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2020.117998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
|
33
|
Dual-functional acyl chloride monomer for interfacial polymerization: Toward enhanced water softening and antifouling performance. Sep Purif Technol 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2019.116362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
|
34
|
Echaide-Górriz C, Zapata JA, Etxeberría-Benavides M, Téllez C, Coronas J. Polyamide/MOF bilayered thin film composite hollow fiber membranes with tuned MOF thickness for water nanofiltration. Sep Purif Technol 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2019.116265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
|
35
|
Echaide‐Górriz C, Malankowska M, Téllez C, Coronas J. Nanofiltration thin‐film composite membrane on either the internal or the external surface of a polysulfone hollow fiber. AIChE J 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/aic.16970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Echaide‐Górriz
- Chemical and Environmental Engineering DepartmentInstituto de Nanociencia de Aragón (INA) and Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Aragón (ICMA), Universidad de Zaragoza‐CSIC Zaragoza Spain
| | - Magdalena Malankowska
- Chemical and Environmental Engineering DepartmentInstituto de Nanociencia de Aragón (INA) and Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Aragón (ICMA), Universidad de Zaragoza‐CSIC Zaragoza Spain
| | - Carlos Téllez
- Chemical and Environmental Engineering DepartmentInstituto de Nanociencia de Aragón (INA) and Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Aragón (ICMA), Universidad de Zaragoza‐CSIC Zaragoza Spain
| | - Joaquín Coronas
- Chemical and Environmental Engineering DepartmentInstituto de Nanociencia de Aragón (INA) and Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Aragón (ICMA), Universidad de Zaragoza‐CSIC Zaragoza Spain
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Song X, Gan B, Qi S, Guo H, Tang CY, Zhou Y, Gao C. Intrinsic Nanoscale Structure of Thin Film Composite Polyamide Membranes: Connectivity, Defects, and Structure-Property Correlation. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:3559-3569. [PMID: 32101410 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b05892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Transport of water, solutes, and contaminants through a thin film composite (TFC) membrane is governed by the intrinsic structure of its polyamide separation layer. In this work, we systematically characterized the nanoscale polyamide structure of four commercial TFC membranes to reveal the underlying structure-property relationship. For all the membranes, their polyamide layers have an intrinsic thickness in the range of 10-20 nm, which is an order of magnitude smaller than the more frequently reported apparent thickness of the roughness protuberances due to the ubiquitous presence of nanovoids within the rejection layers. Tracer filtration tests confirmed that these nanovoids are well connected to the pores in the substrates via the honeycomb-like opening of the backside of the polyamide layers such that the actual separation takes place at the frontside of the polyamide layer. Compared to SW30HR and BW30, loose membranes XLE and NF90 have thinner intrinsic thickness and greater effective filtration area (e.g., by the creation of secondary roughness features) for their polyamide layers, which correlates well to their significantly higher water permeability and lower salt rejection. With the aid of scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and tracer tests, the current study reveals the presence of nanosized defects in a polyamide film, which is possibly promoted by excessive interfacial degassing. The presence of such defects not only impairs the salt rejection but also has major implications for the removal of pathogens and micropollutants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxiao Song
- Centre for Membrane Separation and Water Science & Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, P. R. China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Membrane Separation and Water Treatment of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Bowen Gan
- Centre for Membrane Separation and Water Science & Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, P. R. China
| | - Saren Qi
- Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics (SINANO), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215123, P. R. China
| | - Hao Guo
- Department of Civil Engineering, the University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR P. R. China
| | - Chuyang Y Tang
- Department of Civil Engineering, the University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR P. R. China
| | - Yong Zhou
- Centre for Membrane Separation and Water Science & Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, P. R. China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Membrane Separation and Water Treatment of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Congjie Gao
- Centre for Membrane Separation and Water Science & Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, P. R. China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Membrane Separation and Water Treatment of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310014, China
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Renewable energy powered membrane technology: Impact of solar irradiance fluctuation on direct osmotic backwash. J Memb Sci 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2019.117666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
|
38
|
Wu H, Zhang X, Zhao XT, Li K, Yu CY, Liu LF, Zhou YF, Gao CJ. High flux reverse osmosis membranes fabricated with hyperbranched polymers via novel twice-crosslinked interfacial polymerization method. J Memb Sci 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2019.117480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
|
39
|
Jiang C, Tian L, Hou Y, Niu Q. Nanofiltration membranes with enhanced microporosity and inner-pore interconnectivity for water treatment: Excellent balance between permeability and selectivity. J Memb Sci 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2019.05.075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
|
40
|
Verbeke R, Bergmaier A, Eschbaumer S, Gómez V, Dollinger G, Vankelecom I. Elemental Depth Profiling of Chlorinated Polyamide-Based Thin-Film Composite Membranes with Elastic Recoil Detection. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2019; 53:8640-8648. [PMID: 31286771 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.8b07226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The chlorine resistance of nanofiltration and reverse osmosis membranes is of high importance in the water treatment industry. Elastic recoil detection (ERD) is now presented as a powerful tool to uniquely provide elemental depth profiles, including hydrogen, of NaOCl-treated polyamide-based thin-film composite (TFC) membranes. The influence of pressure, pH, and chlorine feed concentration on the volume-averaged Cl uptake, the location of chlorine throughout the membrane, and the z-gradient in the Cl/N ratio is demonstrated. The results suggest that (i) higher volume-averaged Cl uptakes are achieved at higher chlorine doses and at acidic pH; (ii) chlorination is mostly restricted to the top layer; (iii) a gradient in the Cl/N ratio exists along the membrane depth; and (iv) the shape of this gradient is influenced by the chlorination pH and the applied pressure. Conclusions on the chlorination mechanisms could also be deduced. Conversely, no conclusive relationships between H fractions and Cl uptake could be drawn, even though changes in the H content after chlorination were observed. To corroborate these results and fully exploit the potential of ERD, the exact microstructure of the (chlorinated) TFC membranes should be better understood.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rhea Verbeke
- Membrane Technology Group (division cMACS), Faculty of Bioscience Engineering , KU Leuven , Celestijnenlaan 200F , P.O. Box 2454, 3001 Leuven , Belgium
| | - Andreas Bergmaier
- Institut für Angewandte Physik und Messtechnik , Universität der Bundeswehr München , 85577 Neubiberg , Germany
| | - Stephan Eschbaumer
- Institut für Angewandte Physik und Messtechnik , Universität der Bundeswehr München , 85577 Neubiberg , Germany
| | - Verónica Gómez
- Dow Water Solutions , Autovía Tarragona-Salou s/n , 43006 Tarragona , Spain
| | - Günther Dollinger
- Institut für Angewandte Physik und Messtechnik , Universität der Bundeswehr München , 85577 Neubiberg , Germany
| | - Ivo Vankelecom
- Membrane Technology Group (division cMACS), Faculty of Bioscience Engineering , KU Leuven , Celestijnenlaan 200F , P.O. Box 2454, 3001 Leuven , Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Idarraga-Mora JA, Lemelin MA, Weinman ST, Husson SM. Effect of Short-Term Contact with C1-C4 Monohydric Alcohols on the Water Permeance of MPD-TMC Thin-Film Composite Reverse Osmosis Membranes. MEMBRANES 2019; 9:E92. [PMID: 31357425 PMCID: PMC6723597 DOI: 10.3390/membranes9080092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2019] [Revised: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
In this paper, we discuss the effect of alcohol contact on the transport properties of thin-film composite reverse osmosis membranes. Five commercial membranes were studied to quantify the changes in water permeance and sodium chloride rejection from contact with five C1-C4 monohydric, linear alcohols. Water permeance generally increased without decreasing rejection after short-term contact. The extent of these changes depends on the membrane and alcohol used. Young's modulus measurements showed decreased stiffness of the active layer after contacting the membranes with alcohol, suggesting plasticization. Data analysis using a dual-mode sorption model identified positive correlations of the initial water permeance, as well as the change in free energy of mixing between water and the alcohols, with the increase in water permeance after alcohol contact. We suggest that the mixing of water with the alcohols facilitates alcohol penetration into the active layer, likely by disrupting inter-chain hydrogen bonds, thus increasing the free volume for water permeation. Our studies provide a modeling framework to estimate the changes in transport properties after short-term contact with C1-C4 alcohols.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jaime A Idarraga-Mora
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Clemson University, 127 Earle Hall, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
| | - Michael A Lemelin
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Clemson University, 127 Earle Hall, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
| | - Steven T Weinman
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of Alabama, Box 870203, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA
| | - Scott M Husson
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Clemson University, 127 Earle Hall, Clemson, SC 29634, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Song X, Smith JW, Kim J, Zaluzec NJ, Chen W, An H, Dennison JM, Cahill DG, Kulzick MA, Chen Q. Unraveling the Morphology-Function Relationships of Polyamide Membranes Using Quantitative Electron Tomography. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2019; 11:8517-8526. [PMID: 30676014 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.8b20826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
An understanding of how complex nanoscale morphologies emerge from synthesis would offer powerful strategies to construct soft materials with designed structures and functions. However, these kinds of morphologies have proven difficult to characterize, and therefore manipulate, because they are three-dimensional (3D), nanoscopic, and often highly irregular. Here, we studied polyamide (PA) membranes used in wastewater reclamation as a prime example of this challenge. Using electron tomography and quantitative morphometry, we reconstructed the nanoscale morphology of 3D crumples and voids in PA membranes for the first time. Various parameters governing film transport properties, such as surface-to-volume ratio and mass-per-area, were measured directly from the reconstructed membrane structure. In addition, we extracted information inaccessible by other means. For example, 3D reconstruction shows that membrane nanostructures are formed from PA layers 15-20 nm thick folding into 3D crumples which envelope up to 30% void by volume. Mapping local curvature and thickness in 3D quantitatively groups these crumples into three classes, "domes", "dimples", and "clusters", each being a distinct type of microenvironment. Elemental mapping of metal ion adsorption across the film demonstrates that these previously missed parameters are relevant to membrane performance. This imaging-morphometry platform can be applicable to other nanoscale soft materials and potentially suggests engineering strategies based directly on synthesis-morphology-function relationships.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Nestor J Zaluzec
- Photon Sciences Division , Argonne National Laboratory , Argonne , Illinois 60439 , United States
| | | | | | | | | | - Matthew A Kulzick
- BP Corporate Research Center , Naperville , Illinois 60563 , United States
| | | |
Collapse
|
43
|
Weinman ST, Fierce EM, Husson SM. Nanopatterning commercial nanofiltration and reverse osmosis membranes. Sep Purif Technol 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.seppur.2018.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
|
44
|
Lin L, Weigand TM, Farthing MW, Jutaporn P, Miller CT, Coronell O. Relative importance of geometrical and intrinsic water transport properties of active layers in the water permeability of polyamide thin-film composite membranes. J Memb Sci 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2018.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|
45
|
Culp TE, Ye D, Paul M, Roy A, Behr MJ, Jons S, Rosenberg S, Wang C, Gomez EW, Kumar M, Gomez ED. Probing the Internal Microstructure of Polyamide Thin-Film Composite Membranes Using Resonant Soft X-ray Scattering. ACS Macro Lett 2018; 7:927-932. [PMID: 35650967 DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.8b00301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Characterization of the internal morphology of thin film composite membranes used in reverse osmosis (RO) is a prerequisite for understanding the connection between microstructure and water transport properties and is necessary for the design of membranes with improved performance. Here, we examine a series of fully aromatic polyamide active layers of RO membranes that vary in crosslinking using a combination of resonant soft X-ray scattering (RSoXS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Analysis of RSoXS profiles reveals a correlation between membrane structure and crosslinking density. Through a combination of scattering contrast calculations, TEM, and AFM micrographs, we assign the dominant contribution to RSoXS data as either surface roughness or chemical heterogeneity, depending on the X-ray energy used. Altogether, our results demonstrate the utility of soft X-ray scattering to examine the microstructure of water filtration membranes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Mou Paul
- Dow Water and Process Solutions, Edina, Minnesota 55439, United States
| | - Abhishek Roy
- Dow Water and Process Solutions, Edina, Minnesota 55439, United States
| | - Michael J. Behr
- Analytical Sciences, The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Michigan 48667, United States
| | - Steve Jons
- Dow Water and Process Solutions, Edina, Minnesota 55439, United States
| | - Steve Rosenberg
- Analytical Sciences, The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Michigan 48667, United States
| | - Cheng Wang
- Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
46
|
Electron tomography reveals details of the internal microstructure of desalination membranes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:8694-8699. [PMID: 30104388 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1804708115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
As water availability becomes a growing challenge in various regions throughout the world, desalination and wastewater reclamation through technologies such as reverse osmosis (RO) are becoming more important. Nevertheless, many open questions remain regarding the internal structure of thin-film composite RO membranes. In this work, fully aromatic polyamide films that serve as the active layer of state-of-the-art water filtration membranes were investigated using high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy tomography. Reconstructions of the 3D morphology reveal intricate aspects of the complex microstructure not visible from 2D projections. We find that internal voids of the active layer of compressed commercial membranes account for less than 0.2% of the total polymer volume, contrary to previously reported values that are two orders of magnitude higher. Measurements of the local variation in polyamide density from electron tomography reveal that the polymer density is highest at the permeable surface for the two membranes tested and establish the significance of surface area on RO membrane transport properties. The same type of analyses could provide explanations for different flux variations with surface area for other types of membranes where the density is distributed differently. Thus, 3D reconstructions and quantitative analyses will be crucial to characterize the complex morphology of polymeric membranes used in next-generation water-purification membranes.
Collapse
|
47
|
|
48
|
Zimudzi TJ, Feldman KE, Sturnfield JF, Roy A, Hickner MA, Stafford CM. Quantifying Carboxylic Acid Concentration in Model Polyamide Desalination Membranes via Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy. Macromolecules 2018; 51:10.1021/acs.macromol.8b01194. [PMID: 30983631 PMCID: PMC6459611 DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.8b01194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Carboxylic acid groups impart hydrophilicity and ionizable moieties to polyamide membranes for desalination, hence influencing water and ion transport through the material. Model polyamide films were synthesized via molecular layer-by-layer deposition on planar substrates to study the formation process of these materials and overcome the chemical and topological inhomogeneity inherent to conventional interfacially polymerized polyamide membranes. The carboxylic acid content in these model films was characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy by quantifying the C=O band at 1718 cm-1. The concentration of carboxylic acid groups decreased as the thickness of the membrane increased, suggestive of an increase in crosslink density as the polyamide network develops. For the thinnest molecular layer-by-layer (mLbL) samples, the carboxylic acid concentration for films on gold was 0.35 mmol g-1, whereas analogous films on silicon had an acid content of 0.56 mmol g-1, indicating a clear influence of the substrate on the initial network formation. As the thickness of the membrane increased, the influence of the substrate and initial layer growth became less significant as the carboxylic acid concentration on both substrates reached a value of 0.12 mmol g-1. We demonstrate that FTIR spectroscopy is a practical and accessible way to quantify the carboxylic acid content in these types of extremely thin polyamide membranes to help quantify network formation in these materials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tawanda J. Zimudzi
- Materials Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Kathleen E. Feldman
- Materials Science and Engineering Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA
| | - James F. Sturnfield
- Engineering and Process Sciences, Process Optimization, The Dow Chemical Company, Freeport, Texas 77541, USA
| | - Abhishek Roy
- Dow Water and Process Solutions, The Dow Chemical Company, Edina, Minnesota 55439, USA
| | - Michael A. Hickner
- Materials Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Christopher M. Stafford
- Materials Science and Engineering Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Valentino L, Matsumoto M, Dichtel WR, Mariñas BJ. Development and Performance Characterization of a Polyimine Covalent Organic Framework Thin-Film Composite Nanofiltration Membrane. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2017; 51:14352-14359. [PMID: 29156131 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b04056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Two-dimensional covalent organic frameworks (COFs) were used to create the first asymmetric, thin-film composite (TFC) nanofiltration (NF) membrane with a COF active layer. NF membrane active layers of polyimine COF were synthesized via the interfacial polymerization (IP) of terephthalaldehyde and tris(4-aminophenyl)benzene monomers on top of a poly(ether sulfone) (PES) ultrafiltration membrane support. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analyses confirmed the presence of an imine-linked film with a thickness of ∼10 nm that was formed reproducibly. The rejection efficiencies of the COF NF membrane for a model organic compound, Rhodamine-WT, and a background electrolyte, NaCl, were higher than those of the PES support without the COF film. This enhanced solute rejection is the first successful demonstration of a TFC membrane with a thin COF active layer. However, this work also demonstrates the need for COF NF membranes with smaller active layer pores and alternative support materials. The former should result in greater solute rejection, and the latter is key because the PES used for support in the COF membranes is incompatible with the organic solvents used for the COF IP process.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Valentino
- Safe Global Water Institute, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Michio Matsumoto
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University , Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - William R Dichtel
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University , Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Benito J Mariñas
- Safe Global Water Institute, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign , Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
The morphology of fully-aromatic polyamide separation layer and its relationship with separation performance of TFC membranes. J Memb Sci 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2017.06.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
|