1
|
Ioannou D, Hou Y, Shah P, Ellinas K, Kappl M, Sapalidis A, Constantoudis V, Butt HJ, Gogolides E. Plasma-Induced Superhydrophobicity as a Green Technology for Enhanced Air Gap Membrane Distillation. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:18493-18504. [PMID: 36989435 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c00535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Superhydrophobicity has only recently become a requirement in membrane fabrication and modification. Superhydrophobic membranes have shown improved flux performance and scaling resistance in long-term membrane distillation (MD) operations compared to simply hydrophobic membranes. Here, we introduce plasma micro- and nanotexturing followed by plasma deposition as a novel, dry, and green method for superhydrophobic membrane fabrication. Using plasma micro- and nanotexturing, commercial membranes, both hydrophobic and hydrophilic, are transformed to superhydrophobic featuring water static contact angles (WSCA) greater than 150° and contact angle hysteresis lower than 10°. To this direction, hydrophobic polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and hydrophilic cellulose acetate (CA) membranes are transformed to superhydrophobic. The superhydrophobic PTFE membranes showed enhanced water flux in standard air gap membrane distillation and more stable performance compared to the commercial ones for at least 48 h continuous operation, with salt rejection >99.99%. Additionally, their performance and high salt rejection remained stable, when low surface tension solutions containing sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and NaCl (down to 35 mN/m) were used, showcasing their antiwetting properties. The improved performance is attributed to superhydrophobicity and increased pore size after plasma micro- and nanotexturing. More importantly, CA membranes, which are initially unsuitable for MD due to their hydrophilic nature (WSCA ≈ 40°), showed excellent performance with stable flux and salt rejection >99.2% again for at least 48 h, demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed method for wetting control in membranes regardless of their initial wetting properties.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dimosthenis Ioannou
- Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, NCSR "Demokritos", Aghia Paraskevi, 15341 Attica, Greece
- School of Mechanical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Zografou, 15780 Attica, Greece
| | - Youmin Hou
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, Mainz 55128, Germany
| | - Prexa Shah
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, Mainz 55128, Germany
| | - Kosmas Ellinas
- Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, NCSR "Demokritos", Aghia Paraskevi, 15341 Attica, Greece
- Department of food science and nutrition, School of the Environment, University of the Aegean, Ierou Lochou & Makrygianni St, 81400 Myrina, Lemnos, Greece
| | - Michael Kappl
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, Mainz 55128, Germany
| | - Andreas Sapalidis
- Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, NCSR "Demokritos", Aghia Paraskevi, 15341 Attica, Greece
| | - Vassilios Constantoudis
- Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, NCSR "Demokritos", Aghia Paraskevi, 15341 Attica, Greece
| | - Hans-Jürgen Butt
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, Mainz 55128, Germany
| | - Evangelos Gogolides
- Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, NCSR "Demokritos", Aghia Paraskevi, 15341 Attica, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Gryta M. The effects of fibers layer assembled on the capillary membranes applied for separation of brines by membrane distillation. J Memb Sci 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2022.121289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
|
3
|
Memisoglu G, Murugesan RC, Zubia J, Rozhin AG. Graphene Nanocomposite Membranes: Fabrication and Water Treatment Applications. MEMBRANES 2023; 13:membranes13020145. [PMID: 36837648 PMCID: PMC9965488 DOI: 10.3390/membranes13020145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Graphene, a two-dimensional hexagonal honeycomb carbon structure, is widely used in membrane technologies thanks to its unique optical, electrical, mechanical, thermal, chemical and photoelectric properties. The light weight, mechanical strength, anti-bacterial effect, and pollution-adsorption properties of graphene membranes are valuable in water treatment studies. Incorporation of nanoparticles like carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and metal oxide into the graphene filtering nanocomposite membrane structure can provide an improved photocatalysis process in a water treatment system. With the rapid development of graphene nanocomposites and graphene nanocomposite membrane-based acoustically supported filtering systems, including CNTs and visible-light active metal oxide photocatalyst, it is necessary to develop the researches of sustainable and environmentally friendly applications that can lead to new and groundbreaking water treatment systems. In this review, characteristic properties of graphene and graphene nanocomposites are examined, various methods for the synthesis and dispersion processes of graphene, CNTs, metal oxide and polymer nanocomposites and membrane fabrication and characterization techniques are discussed in details with using literature reports and our laboratory experimental results. Recent membrane developments in water treatment applications and graphene-based membranes are reviewed, and the current challenges and future prospects of membrane technology are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gorkem Memisoglu
- Department of Communications Engineering, Escuela de Ingeniería de Bilbao, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), E-48013 Bilbao, Spain
- Department of Electronics Technology, Istiklal University, Kahramanmaras 46300, Türkiye
| | | | - Joseba Zubia
- Department of Communications Engineering, Escuela de Ingeniería de Bilbao, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), E-48013 Bilbao, Spain
| | - Aleksey G. Rozhin
- Aston Institute of Photonic Technologies, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Review of New Approaches for Fouling Mitigation in Membrane Separation Processes in Water Treatment Applications. SEPARATIONS 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/separations9010001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
This review investigates antifouling agents used in the process of membrane separation (MS), in reverse osmosis (RO), ultrafiltration (UF), nanofiltration (NF), microfiltration (MF), membrane distillation (MD), and membrane bioreactors (MBR), and clarifies the fouling mechanism. Membrane fouling is an incomplete substance formed on the membrane surface, which will quickly reduce the permeation flux and damage the membrane. Foulant is colloidal matter: organic matter (humic acid, protein, carbohydrate, nano/microplastics), inorganic matter (clay such as potassium montmorillonite, silica salt, metal oxide, etc.), and biological matter (viruses, bacteria and microorganisms adhering to the surface of the membrane in the case of nutrients) The stability and performance of the tested nanometric membranes, as well as the mitigation of pollution assisted by electricity and the cleaning and repair of membranes, are reported. Physical, chemical, physico-chemical, and biological methods for cleaning membranes. Biologically induced biofilm dispersion effectively controls fouling. Dynamic changes in membrane foulants during long-term operation are critical to the development and implementation of fouling control methods. Membrane fouling control strategies show that improving membrane performance is not only the end goal, but new ideas and new technologies for membrane cleaning and repair need to be explored and developed in order to develop future applications.
Collapse
|
5
|
Membrane Distillation of Saline Water Contaminated with Oil and Surfactants. MEMBRANES 2021; 11:membranes11120988. [PMID: 34940489 PMCID: PMC8708787 DOI: 10.3390/membranes11120988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Application of the membrane distillation (MD) process for the treatment of high-salinity solutions contaminated with oil and surfactants represents an interesting area of research. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the effect of low-concentration surfactants in oil-contaminated high-salinity solutions on the MD process efficiency. For this purpose, hydrophobic capillary polypropylene (PP) membranes were tested during the long-term MD studies. Baltic Sea water and concentrated NaCl solutions were used as a feed. The feed water was contaminated with oil collected from bilge water and sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS). It has been demonstrated that PP membranes were non-wetted during the separation of pure NaCl solutions over 960 h of the module exploitation. The presence of oil (100–150 mg/L) in concentrated NaCl solutions caused the adsorption of oil on the membranes surface and a decrease in the permeate flux of 30%. In turn, the presence of SDS (1.5–2.5 mg/L) in the oil-contaminated high-salinity solutions slightly accelerated the phenomenon of membrane wetting. The partial pores’ wetting accelerated the internal scaling and affected degradation of the membrane’s structure. Undoubtedly, the results obtained in the present study may have important implications for understanding the effect of low-concentration SDS on MD process efficiency.
Collapse
|