1
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Liu K, Epsztein R, Lin S, Qu J, Sun M. Ion-Ion Selectivity of Synthetic Membranes with Confined Nanostructures. ACS NANO 2024; 18:21633-21650. [PMID: 39114876 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c00540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/21/2024]
Abstract
Synthetic membranes featuring confined nanostructures have emerged as a prominent category of leading materials that can selectively separate target ions from complex water matrices. Further advancements in these membranes will pressingly rely on the ability to elucidate the inherent connection between transmembrane ion permeation behaviors and the ion-selective nanostructures. In this review, we first abstract state-of-the-art nanostructures with a diversity of spatial confinements in current synthetic membranes. Next, the underlying mechanisms that govern ion permeation under the spatial nanoconfinement are analyzed. We then proceed to assess ion-selective membrane materials with a focus on their structural merits that allow ultrahigh selectivity for a wide range of monovalent and divalent ions. We also highlight recent advancements in experimental methodologies for measuring ionic permeability, hydration numbers, and energy barriers to transport. We conclude by putting forth the future research prospects and challenges in the realm of high-performance ion-selective membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kairui Liu
- Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Razi Epsztein
- Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Shihong Lin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235-1831, United States
| | - Jiuhui Qu
- Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Meng Sun
- Center for Water and Ecology, State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
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2
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Zhou X, Taylor RF, Shi L, Xie C, Bian B, Logan BE. Reducing Chloride Ion Permeation during Seawater Electrolysis Using Double-Polyamide Thin-Film Composite Membranes. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:391-399. [PMID: 38147515 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c07248] [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: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
Low-cost polyamide thin-film composite membranes are being explored as alternatives to expensive cation exchange membranes for seawater electrolysis. However, transport of chloride from seawater to the anode chamber must be reduced to minimize the production of chlorine gas. A double-polyamide composite structure was created that reduced the level of chloride transport. Adding five polyamide layers on the back of a conventional polyamide composite membrane reduced the chloride ion transport by 53% and did not increase the applied voltage. Decreased chloride permeation was attributed to enhanced electrostatic and steric repulsion created by the new polyamide layers. Charge was balanced through increased sodium ion transport (52%) from the anolyte to the catholyte rather than through a change in the transport of protons and hydroxides. As a result, the Nernstian loss arising from the pH difference between the anolyte and catholyte remained relatively constant during electrolysis despite membrane modifications. This lack of a change in pH showed that transport of protons and hydroxides during electrolysis was independent of salt ion transport. Therefore, only sodium ion transport could compensate for the reduction of chloride flux to maintain the set current. Overall, these results prove the feasibility of using a double-polyamide structure to control chloride permeation during seawater electrolysis without sacrificing energy consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuechen Zhou
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Rachel F Taylor
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Le Shi
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
| | - Chenghan Xie
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Bin Bian
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Bruce E Logan
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
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3
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Lu C, Hu C, Chen Z, Wang P, Feng F, He G, Wang F, Zhang Y, Liu JZ, Zhang X, Qu J. Dehydration-enhanced ion-pore interactions dominate anion transport and selectivity in nanochannels. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadf8412. [PMID: 37418527 PMCID: PMC10328398 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adf8412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
State-of-the-art ion-selective membranes with ultrahigh precision are of significance for water desalination and energy conservation, but their development is limited by the lack of understanding of the mechanisms of ion transport at the subnanometer scale. Herein, we investigate transport of three typical anions (F-, Cl-, and Br-) under confinement using in situ liquid time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry in combination with transition-state theory. The operando analysis reveals that dehydration and related ion-pore interactions govern anion-selective transport. For strongly hydrated ions [(H2O)nF- and (H2O)nCl-], dehydration enhances ion effective charge and thus the electrostatic interactions with membrane, observed as an increase in decomposed energy from electrostatics, leading to more hindered transport. Contrarily, weakly hydrated ions [(H2O)nBr-] have greater permeability as they allow an intact hydration structure during transport due to their smaller size and the most right-skewed hydration distribution. Our work demonstrates that precisely regulating ion dehydration to maximize the difference in ion-pore interactions could enable the development of ideal ion-selective membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenghai Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Chengzhi Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zhibin Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Peiyao Wang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Fan Feng
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Guangzhi He
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Fuyi Wang
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Living Biosystems, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Yanyan Zhang
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Living Biosystems, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Jefferson Zhe Liu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Xiwang Zhang
- UQ Dow Centre for Sustainable Engineering Innovation, School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Jiuhui Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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4
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Zhu Y, Gui L, Wang R, Wang Y, Fang W, Elimelech M, Lin S, Jin J. Regulation of molecular transport in polymer membranes with voltage-controlled pore size at the angstrom scale. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2373. [PMID: 37185940 PMCID: PMC10130050 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38114-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Polymer membranes have been used extensively for Angstrom-scale separation of solutes and molecules. However, the pore size of most polymer membranes has been considered an intrinsic membrane property that cannot be adjusted in operation by applied stimuli. In this work, we show that the pore size of an electrically conductive polyamide membrane can be modulated by an applied voltage in the presence of electrolyte via a mechanism called electrically induced osmotic swelling. Under applied voltage, the highly charged polyamide layer concentrates counter ions in the polymer network via Donnan equilibrium and creates a sizeable osmotic pressure to enlarge the free volume and the effective pore size. The relation between membrane potential and pore size can be quantitatively described using the extended Flory-Rehner theory with Donnan equilibrium. The ability to regulate pore size via applied voltage enables operando modulation of precise molecular separation in-situ. This study demonstrates the amazing capability of electro-regulation of membrane pore size at the Angstrom scale and unveils an important but previously overlooked mechanism of membrane-water-solute interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuzhang Zhu
- i-Lab, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, 215123, PR China
| | - Liangliang Gui
- i-Lab, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, 215123, PR China
| | - Ruoyu Wang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37235, USA
| | - Yunfeng Wang
- i-Lab, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, 215123, PR China
| | - Wangxi Fang
- i-Lab, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, 215123, PR China
| | - Menachem Elimelech
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06520-8286, USA
| | - Shihong Lin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37235, USA.
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37235, USA.
| | - Jian Jin
- i-Lab, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, 215123, PR China.
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Innovation Center for Chemical Science & Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Polymer Design and Application, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, PR China.
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5
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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.
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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
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6
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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.
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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
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7
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Mareev S, Gorobchenko A, Ivanov D, Anokhin D, Nikonenko V. Ion and Water Transport in Ion-Exchange Membranes for Power Generation Systems: Guidelines for Modeling. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 24:34. [PMID: 36613476 PMCID: PMC9820504 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24010034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Artificial ion-exchange and other charged membranes, such as biomembranes, are self-organizing nanomaterials built from macromolecules. The interactions of fragments of macromolecules results in phase separation and the formation of ion-conducting channels. The properties conditioned by the structure of charged membranes determine their application in separation processes (water treatment, electrolyte concentration, food industry and others), energy (reverse electrodialysis, fuel cells and others), and chlore-alkali production and others. The purpose of this review is to provide guidelines for modeling the transport of ions and water in charged membranes, as well as to describe the latest advances in this field with a focus on power generation systems. We briefly describe the main structural elements of charged membranes which determine their ion and water transport characteristics. The main governing equations and the most commonly used theories and assumptions are presented and analyzed. The known models are classified and then described based on the information about the equations and the assumptions they are based on. Most attention is paid to the models which have the greatest impact and are most frequently used in the literature. Among them, we focus on recent models developed for proton-exchange membranes used in fuel cells and for membranes applied in reverse electrodialysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Semyon Mareev
- Membrane Institute, Kuban State University, 350040 Krasnodar, Russia
- Faculty of Fundamental Physical and Chemical Engineering, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Andrey Gorobchenko
- Membrane Institute, Kuban State University, 350040 Krasnodar, Russia
- Faculty of Fundamental Physical and Chemical Engineering, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Dimitri Ivanov
- Faculty of Fundamental Physical and Chemical Engineering, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Institut de Sciences des Matériaux de Mulhouse-IS2M, CNRS UMR 7361, Jean Starcky, 15, F-68057 Mulhouse, France
- Center for Genetics and Life Science, Sirius University of Science and Technology, 1 Olympic Ave, 354340 Sochi, Russia
| | - Denis Anokhin
- Faculty of Fundamental Physical and Chemical Engineering, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Center for Genetics and Life Science, Sirius University of Science and Technology, 1 Olympic Ave, 354340 Sochi, Russia
- Institute of Chemical Physics Problems of RAS, Acad. Semenov Av., 1, 142432 Chernogolovka, Russia
| | - Victor Nikonenko
- Membrane Institute, Kuban State University, 350040 Krasnodar, Russia
- Faculty of Fundamental Physical and Chemical Engineering, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
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8
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Kitto D, Kamcev J. Manning condensation in ion exchange membranes: A review on ion partitioning and diffusion models. JOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/pol.20210810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- David Kitto
- Department of Chemical Engineering University of Michigan, North Campus Research Complex B28 Ann Arbor Michigan USA
| | - Jovan Kamcev
- Department of Chemical Engineering University of Michigan, North Campus Research Complex B28 Ann Arbor Michigan USA
- Macromolecular Science and Engineering University of Michigan, North Campus Research Complex B28 Ann Arbor Michigan USA
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9
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Mohona TM, Dai N, Nalam PC. Comparative Degradation Kinetics Study of Polyamide Thin Films in Aqueous Solutions of Chlorine and Peracetic Acid Using Quartz Crystal Microbalance. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2021; 37:14214-14227. [PMID: 34793175 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.1c02835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Polyamide thin film composite membranes are widely used in water reclamation. Peracetic acid (PAA) is an emerging wastewater disinfectant with a potential for membrane cleaning and disinfection; however, its interaction with polyamide remains poorly understood. This study employs quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) to determine the PAA-induced degradation kinetics of polyamide thin films, in comparison with the conventional disinfectant-free chlorine (HOCl). Polyamide films showed a sorption phase followed by a degradation phase when exposed to PAA (1000 mg L-1) and HOCl (100 mg L-1) solutions. While the sorption phase in HOCl experiments was short (1.4-3.5 min) and followed a Boltzmann-sigmoidal model, it spanned over 3-33 h in PAA experiments and displayed a two-stage behavior. The latter kinetics are attributed to sequential processes of the physical sorption of PAA in polyamide films followed by PAA-induced polyamide oxidation. In the degradation phase, the HOCl-exposed films followed a rapid, two-step exponential decay reaching an equilibrium mass of ∼50% of the initial (wet) mass after ∼5 h of exposure. In contrast, the PAA-exposed films followed a Boltzmann-sigmoidal decay, with ∼80% of the initial (wet) mass remaining intact after >10 h of exposure. Fast force maps generated using atomic force microscopy showed a progressive increase in the morphological heterogeneity of the polyamide films in HOCl solution due to pitting, cracking, bulging, and eventual delamination under both flow and no-flow conditions. In contrast, PAA only formed small pits on the polyamide film under flow; in a stagnant PAA solution, the film had no visible changes even after ∼148 h of exposure. This is the first comparative study on the chemical and morphological changes in polyamide films induced by PAA and HOCl. The much higher compatibility of polyamide with PAA than with chlorine supports the potential of PAA being used as a halogen-free membrane cleaning/disinfecting agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tashfia M Mohona
- Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York 14260, United States
| | - Ning Dai
- Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York 14260, United States
| | - Prathima C Nalam
- Department of Materials Design and Innovation, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York 14260, United States
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10
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Landsman MR, Rivers F, Pedretti BJ, Freeman BD, Lawler DF, Lynd NA, Katz LE. Boric acid removal with polyol-functionalized polyether membranes. J Memb Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2021.119690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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11
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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.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Orlando Coronell
- Corresponding author [tel: +1-919-966-9010; fax:
+1- 919-966-7911; ]
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12
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Chang K, Luo H, Geise GM. Influence of Salt Concentration on Hydrated Polymer Relative Permittivity and State of Water Properties. Macromolecules 2021. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.0c02188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Chang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Virginia, 102 Engineers’ Way, P.O.
Box 400741, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, United States
| | - Hongxi Luo
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Virginia, 102 Engineers’ Way, P.O.
Box 400741, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, United States
| | - Geoffrey M. Geise
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Virginia, 102 Engineers’ Way, P.O.
Box 400741, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, United States
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13
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Zhou X, Wang Z, Epsztein R, Zhan C, Li W, Fortner JD, Pham TA, Kim JH, Elimelech M. Intrapore energy barriers govern ion transport and selectivity of desalination membranes. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:6/48/eabd9045. [PMID: 33239305 PMCID: PMC7688318 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abd9045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
State-of-the-art desalination membranes exhibit high water-salt selectivity, but their ability to discriminate between ions is limited. Elucidating the fundamental mechanisms underlying ion transport and selectivity in subnanometer pores is therefore imperative for the development of ion-selective membranes. Here, we compare the overall energy barrier for salt transport and energy barriers for individual ion transport, showing that cations and anions traverse the membrane pore in an independent manner. Supported by density functional theory simulations, we demonstrate that electrostatic interactions between permeating counterion and fixed charges on the membrane substantially hinder intrapore diffusion. Furthermore, using quartz crystal microbalance, we break down the contributions of partitioning at the pore mouth and intrapore diffusion to the overall energy barrier for salt transport. Overall, our results indicate that intrapore diffusion governs salt transport through subnanometer pores due to ion-pore wall interactions, providing the scientific base for the design of membranes with high ion-ion selectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuechen Zhou
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Zhangxin Wang
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Razi Epsztein
- Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Technion City, Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Cheng Zhan
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94551, USA
| | - Wenlu Li
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - John D Fortner
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Tuan Anh Pham
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94551, USA
| | - Jae-Hong Kim
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA.
| | - Menachem Elimelech
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA.
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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]
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15
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Fernández de Labastida M, Yaroshchuk A. Transient membrane potential after concentration step: A new method for advanced characterization of ion-exchange membranes. J Memb Sci 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2019.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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16
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Shaffer DL, Feldman KE, Chan EP, Stafford GR, Stafford CM. Characterizing salt permeability in polyamide desalination membranes using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. J Memb Sci 2019; 583. [PMID: 31579350 DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2019.04.062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Improving the performance of desalination membranes requires better measurements of salt permeability in the polyamide separating layer to elucidate the thermodynamic and kinetic components of membrane permselectivity. In this work, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is introduced as a technique to measure the salt permeability and estimate the salt partition coefficient in thin polyamide films created using molecular layer-by-layer deposition. The impedance of supported polyamide films ranging in thickness from 3.5 nm to 28.5 nm were measured in different electrolyte solutions. Impedance spectra were modeled with equivalent circuits containing resistive and capacitive elements associated with the EIS measurement system as well as characteristic low-frequency parallel resistive and capacitive elements that are associated with the polyamide film. The characteristic polyamide membrane resistance increases with film thickness, decreases with solution concentration, and is an order of magnitude greater for a divalent cationic solution than for a monovalent cationic solution. For each polyamide film, salt permeability is calculated from the membrane resistance, and a salt partition coefficient is estimated. At the highest solution concentration measured, which is representative of brackish water desalination conditions, the calculated salt permeabilities range from P s = 1.3 × 10-16 m s-1 to 3.9 × 10-16 m s-1, and the estimated salt partition coefficients range from K s = 0.008 to 0.016. These measurements demonstrate that EIS is a powerful tool for studying membrane permselectivity through the measurement of salt permeability in thin polyamide films.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devin L Shaffer
- Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, University of Houston, 4726 Calhoun Road, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Kathleen E Feldman
- Materials Science and Engineering Division, Material Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), 100 Bureau Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA
| | - Edwin P Chan
- Materials Science and Engineering Division, Material Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), 100 Bureau Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA
| | - Gery R Stafford
- Materials Science and Engineering Division, Material Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), 100 Bureau Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA
| | - Christopher M Stafford
- Materials Science and Engineering Division, Material Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), 100 Bureau Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA
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17
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Owusu-Agyeman I, Reinwald M, Jeihanipour A, Schäfer AI. Removal of fluoride and natural organic matter from natural tropical brackish waters by nanofiltration/reverse osmosis with varying water chemistry. CHEMOSPHERE 2019; 217:47-58. [PMID: 30404048 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.10.135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2018] [Revised: 10/16/2018] [Accepted: 10/18/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
In the context of decentralised brackish water treatment in development applications, the influence of water quality on membrane separation was investigated with real waters. High ionic strength (low net driving pressure) on fluoride (F) retention by nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO) was investigated over a wide pH range (2-12). Further, the influence of pH on the permeation of natural organic matter (NOM) fractions, in particular low molecular weight (LMW) neutrals, was elucidated. Natural and semi-natural waters from Tanzania with similar F concentrations of about 50 mg L-1 but varying NOM and inorganic carbon (IC) concentration were filtered with an NF and RO, namely NF270 and BW30. F retention by NF270 for the feed water with highest ionic strength and IC concentration was lower and attributed to charge screening. This parameter further reduced at high pH due to co-ions (F- and CO32-) interactions and combined (synergistic) effect of high salt concentration and pH on F. High NOM resulted in higher membrane zeta potential in comparison with low NOM natural water. However, there was no significant difference in F retention due to the fact that F retention enhancement was annulled by deposit formation on the membrane. The fraction of NOM found in NF/RO permeates was dominated by LMW neutrals. This was attributed to their size and uncharged nature, while their higher concentration at low pH remains unexplained. More humic substances (HS) of higher molecularity and aromaticity permeated the NF270 when compared with BW30, which can be explained with the different membrane molecular weight cut off (MWCO). The study highlights the complexity of treating tropical natural waters with elevated F and NOM concentrations. In order to develop appropriate membrane systems that will achieve optimal F and NOM removal, the influence of water quality parameters such as pH, NOM content, ionic strength and IC concentration requires understanding. Seasonal variation of water quality as well as operational fluctuations, which occur in particular when such treatment processes are operated with renewable energy, will require such challenges to be addressed. Further, given the high permeability of low molecular weight (LMW) organics significant permeate side fouling may be expected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac Owusu-Agyeman
- Membrane Technology Department, Institute of Functional Interfaces (IFG-MT), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Michael Reinwald
- Membrane Technology Department, Institute of Functional Interfaces (IFG-MT), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Azam Jeihanipour
- Membrane Technology Department, Institute of Functional Interfaces (IFG-MT), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Andrea Iris Schäfer
- Membrane Technology Department, Institute of Functional Interfaces (IFG-MT), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany.
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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]
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