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Epstein JA, Ramon GZ. In-situ measurement of the internal compaction of a soft material caused by permeation flow. J Colloid Interface Sci 2024; 673:883-892. [PMID: 38908287 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2024.06.095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 06/09/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/24/2024]
Abstract
HYPOTHESIS The compaction of hydrogel films under permeation flow can be measured, in-situ, by tracking the internal displacements of their structure, thereby revealing the internal deformation profile. Additionally, monitoring the permeation flow rate and applied pressure over time enables determination of variations in the hydrogel's permeability due to flow-induced compaction. Hydrogels are soft porous materials capable of containing high amounts of water within their polymeric matrix. Flow-induced internal deformation can modify the hydrogel's permeability and selectivity, which are important attributes in separation processes, both industrial (e.g., membrane-based water purification) and natural (mucous filters in suspension feeders and intestinal lining) systems. Measuring the flow-induced compaction in thin hydrogels films can reveal the interplay between flow and permeability. However, the micro-scale internal compaction remains uncharted for due to experimental challenges. EXPERIMENTS A technique is demonstrated for analyzing the compaction and stratification of permeable soft materials, in-situ, created by a pressure-driven permeation flow. To this end, the internal deformations within a soft material layer are calculated, based on tracking the positions of fluorescent micro-tracers that are embedded within the soft material. We showcase the capabilities of this technique by examining a hundred-micron-thick calcium-alginate cake deposited on a nanofiltration membrane, emphasizing the achieved micro-scale resolution of the local compaction measurements. FINDINGS The results highlight the possibility to examine thin hydrogel films and their internal deformation produced by flow-induced stresses when varying the flow conditions. The method enables the simultaneous calculation of the soft material's permeance, as the pressure-driven flow conditions are continuously monitored. In summary, the proposed method provides a powerful tool for characterizing the behaviour of permeable soft materials under permeation conditions, with potential applications in engineering, biophysics and material science.
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Affiliation(s)
- José A Epstein
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 32000, Israel
| | - Guy Z Ramon
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 32000, Israel; Department of Chemical Engineering, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 32000, Israel.
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Liu L, Wang Y, Liu Y, Wang J, Zheng C, Zuo W, Tian Y, Zhang J. Insight into key interactions between diverse factors and membrane fouling mitigation in anaerobic membrane bioreactor. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 347:123750. [PMID: 38467364 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBRs) have garnered considerable attention as a low-energy and low-carbon footprint treatment technology. With an increasing number of scholars focusing on AnMBR research, its outstanding performance in the field of water treatment has gradually become evident. However, the primary obstacle to the widespread application of AnMBR technology lies in membrane fouling, which leads to reduced membrane flux and increased energy demand. To ensure the efficient and long-term operation of AnMBRs, effective control of membrane fouling is imperative. Nevertheless, the interactions between various fouling factors are complex, making it challenging to predict the changes in membrane fouling. Therefore, a comprehensive analysis of the fouling factors in AnMBRs is necessary to establish a theoretical basis for subsequent membrane fouling control in AnMBR applications. This review aims to provide a thorough analysis of membrane fouling issues in AnMBR applications, particularly focusing on fouling factors and fouling control. By delving into the mechanisms behind membrane fouling in AnMBRs, this review offers valuable insights into mitigating membrane fouling, thus enhancing the lifespan of membrane components in AnMBRs and identifying potential directions for future AnMBR research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, National Engineering Research Center for Safe Disposal and Resources Recovery of Sludge, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China.
| | - Yihe Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, National Engineering Research Center for Safe Disposal and Resources Recovery of Sludge, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China
| | - Yongxiao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, National Engineering Research Center for Safe Disposal and Resources Recovery of Sludge, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China
| | - Jinghui Wang
- Harbin Institute of Technology National Engineering Research Center of Urban Water Resources Co., Ltd, Harbin, 150090, China; Guangdong Yuehai Water Investment Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, 518021, China
| | - Chengzhi Zheng
- Harbin Institute of Technology National Engineering Research Center of Urban Water Resources Co., Ltd, Harbin, 150090, China; Guangdong Yuehai Water Investment Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, 518021, China
| | - Wei Zuo
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, National Engineering Research Center for Safe Disposal and Resources Recovery of Sludge, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China
| | - Yu Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, National Engineering Research Center for Safe Disposal and Resources Recovery of Sludge, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China
| | - Jun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, National Engineering Research Center for Safe Disposal and Resources Recovery of Sludge, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China.
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Bandehali S, Parvizian F, Hosseini SM, Matsuura T, Drioli E, Shen J, Moghadassi A, Adeleye AS. Planning of smart gating membranes for water treatment. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 283:131207. [PMID: 34157628 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.131207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The use of membranes in desalination and water treatment has been intensively studied in recent years. The conventional membranes however have various problems such as uncontrollable pore size and membrane properties, which prevents membranes from quickly responding to alteration of operating and environmental conditions. As a result the membranes are fouled, and their separation performance is lowered. The preparation of smart gating membranes inspired by cell membranes is a new method to face these challenges. Introducing stimuli-responsive functional materials into traditional porous membranes and use of hydrogels and microgels can change surface properties and membrane pore sizes under different conditions. This review shows potential of smart gating membranes in water treatment. Various types of stimuli-response such as those of thermo-, pH-, ion-, molecule-, UV light-, magnetic-, redox- and electro-responsive gating membranes along with various gel types such as those of polyelectrolyte, PNIPAM-based, self-healing hydrogels and microgel based-smart gating membranes are discussed. Design strategies, separation mechanisms and challenges in fabrication of smart gating membranes in water treatment are also presented. It is demonstrated that experimental and modeling and simulation results have to be utilized effectively to produce smart gating membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samaneh Bandehali
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Arak University, Arak, 38156-8-8349, Iran
| | - Fahime Parvizian
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Arak University, Arak, 38156-8-8349, Iran
| | - Sayed Mohsen Hosseini
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Arak University, Arak, 38156-8-8349, Iran.
| | - Takeshi Matsuura
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 6N5, Canada.
| | - Enrico Drioli
- Institute on Membrane Technology, National Research Council of Italy (CNR-ITM), Via P. Bucci 17/C, Rende, CS, 87036, Italy; Department of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci 45A, 87036, Rende, CS, Italy.
| | - Jiangnan Shen
- College of Chemical Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310014, China
| | - Abdolreza Moghadassi
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Arak University, Arak, 38156-8-8349, Iran
| | - Adeyemi S Adeleye
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697-2175, USA
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Akamatsu K, Saito T, Ohashi H, Wang XL, Nakao SI. Plasma Graft Polymerization and Surface-Initiated Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization: Characteristics of Low-Fouling Membranes Obtained by Surface Modification with Poly(2-methoxyethyl Acrylate). Ind Eng Chem Res 2021. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.1c02462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kazuki Akamatsu
- Department of Environmental Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, School of Advanced Engineering, Kogakuin University, 2665-1 Nakano-machi, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo 192-0015, Japan
| | - Tatsuru Saito
- Department of Environmental Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, School of Advanced Engineering, Kogakuin University, 2665-1 Nakano-machi, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo 192-0015, Japan
| | - Hidenori Ohashi
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, 2-24-16, Naka-cho, Koganei, Tokyo 184-8588, Japan
| | - Xiao-lin Wang
- Department of Environmental Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, School of Advanced Engineering, Kogakuin University, 2665-1 Nakano-machi, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo 192-0015, Japan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shin-ichi Nakao
- Department of Environmental Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, School of Advanced Engineering, Kogakuin University, 2665-1 Nakano-machi, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo 192-0015, Japan
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Itzhak T, Segev-Mark N, Simon A, Abetz V, Ramon GZ, Segal-Peretz T. Atomic Layer Deposition for Gradient Surface Modification and Controlled Hydrophilization of Ultrafiltration Polymer Membranes. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:15591-15600. [PMID: 33765379 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c23084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, atomic layer deposition (ALD) has emerged as a powerful technique for polymeric membrane surface modification. In this research, we study Al2O3 growth via ALD on two polymeric phase-inverted membranes: polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and polyetherimide (PEI). We demonstrate that Al2O3 can easily be grown on both membranes with as little as 10 ALD cycles. We investigate the formation of Al2O3 layer gradient through the depth of the membranes using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and elemental analysis, showing that at short exposure times, Al2O3 accumulates at the top of the membrane, reducing pore size and creating a strong growth gradient, while at long exposure time, more homogeneous growth occurs. This detailed characterization creates the knowledge necessary for controlling the deposition gradient and achieving an efficient growth with minimum pore clogging. By tuning the Al2O3 exposure time and cycles, we demonstrate control over the Al2O3 depth gradient and membranes' pore size, hydrophilicity, and permeability. The oil antifouling performance of membranes is investigated using in situ confocal imaging during flow. This characterization technique reveals that Al2O3 surface modification reduces oil droplet surface coverage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamar Itzhak
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Naama Segev-Mark
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Assaf Simon
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Volker Abetz
- Institute of Membrane Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, Max-Planck-Str. 1, 21502 Geesthacht, Germany
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Universität Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 6, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Guy Z Ramon
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Tamar Segal-Peretz
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel
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Vu A, Mark NS, Ramon GZ, Qian X, Sengupta A, Wickramasinghe SR. Oil Deposition on Polymer Brush-Coated NF Membranes. MEMBRANES 2019; 9:E168. [PMID: 31817680 PMCID: PMC6949896 DOI: 10.3390/membranes9120168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2019] [Revised: 11/17/2019] [Accepted: 11/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Membrane-based processes are attractive for treating oily wastewaters. However, membrane fouling due to the deposition of oil droplets on the membrane surface compromises performance. Here, real-time observation of the deposition of oil droplets by direct confocal microscopy was conducted. Experiments were conducted in dead-end and crossflow modes. Base NF 270 nanofiltration membranes as well as membranes modified by grafting poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) chains from the membrane surface using atom transfer radical polymerization were investigated. By using feed streams containing low and high NaCl concentrations, the grafted polymer chains could be induced to switch conformation from a hydrated to a dehydrated state, as the lower critical solution temperature for the grafted polymer chains moved above and below the room temperature, respectively. For the modified membrane, it was shown that switching conformation of the grafted polymer chains led to the partial release of adsorbed oil. The results also indicate that, unlike particles such as polystyrene beads, adsorption of oil droplets can lead to coalescence of the adsorbed oil droplets on the membrane surface. The results provide further evidence of the importance of membrane properties, feed solution characteristics, and operating mode and conditions on membrane fouling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anh Vu
- Ralph E Martin Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA; (A.V.); (A.S.)
| | - Naama Segev Mark
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel; (N.S.M.); (G.Z.R.)
| | - Guy Z. Ramon
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel; (N.S.M.); (G.Z.R.)
| | - Xianghong Qian
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA;
| | - Arijit Sengupta
- Ralph E Martin Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA; (A.V.); (A.S.)
| | - S. Ranil Wickramasinghe
- Ralph E Martin Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA; (A.V.); (A.S.)
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