scholarly journals Enhancing water flux of thin-film nanocomposite (TFN) membrane by incorporation of bimodal silica nanoparticles

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 185-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhe Yang ◽  
◽  
Jun Yin ◽  
Baolin Deng
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Silica Nanoparticles ◽  
Water Flux ◽  
Thin Film Nanocomposite

scholarly journals Facile Fabrication of High-Performance Thin Film Nanocomposite Desalination Membranes Imbedded with Alkyl Group-Capped Silica Nanoparticles

Polymers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 1415
Author(s):  
Biqin Wu ◽  
Shuhao Wang ◽  
Jian Wang ◽  
Xiaoxiao Song ◽  
Yong Zhou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Silica Nanoparticles ◽  
Brackish Water ◽  
Alkyl Group ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Interfacial Polymerization ◽  
Water Flux ◽  
Water Desalination ◽  
High Concentration ◽  
Thin Film Nanocomposite

The advantages of thin film nanocomposite reverse osmosis (TFN-RO) membranes have been demonstrated by numerous studies within the last decade. This study proposes a facile and novel method to tune the microscale and nanoscale structures, which has good potential to fabricate high-performance TFN-RO membranes. This method involves the addition of alkyl capped silica nanoparticles (alkyl-silica NPs) into the organic phase during interfacial polymerization (IP). We discovered for the first time that the high concentration alkyl-silica NPs in organic solvent isopar-G can limit the diffusion of MPD molecules at the interface, therefore shaping the intrinsic thickness and microstructures of the PA layer. Moreover, the alkyl group modification greatly reduces the NPs agglomeration and increases the compatibility between the NPs and the PA matrix. We further demonstrate that the doping of alkyl-silica NPs impacts the performance of the TFN-RO membrane by affecting intrinsic thickness, higher surface area, hydrophobic plugging effect, and higher surface charge by a series of characterization. At brackish water desalination conditions (2000 ppm NaCl, 1.55 MPa), the optimal brackish water flux was 55.3 L/m2∙h, and the rejection was maintained at 99.6%, or even exceeded this baseline. At seawater desalination conditions (32,000 ppm NaCl, 5.5 MPa), the optimized seawater flux reached 67.7 L/m2∙h, and the rejection was sustained at 99.4%. Moreover, the boron rejection was elevated by 11%, which benefits from a hydrophobic plugging effect of the alkyl groups.

scholarly journals Constructing Positively Charged Thin-Film Nanocomposite Nanofiltration Membranes with Enhanced Performance

Polymers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 2526
Author(s):  
Wenyao Shao ◽  
Chenran Liu ◽  
Tong Yu ◽  
Ying Xiong ◽  
Zhuan Hong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Heavy Metal ◽  
Water Flux ◽  
Water Contact ◽  
Salt Rejection ◽  
Thin Film Composite ◽  
Charged Surfaces ◽  
Active Layers ◽  
Positively Charged ◽  
Thin Film Nanocomposite

Using polyethylenimine (PEI) as the aqueous reactive monomers, a positively charged thin-film nanocomposite (TFN) nanofiltration (NF) membrane with enhanced performance was developed by successfully incorporating graphene oxide (GO) into the active layer. The effects of GO concentrations on the surface roughness, water contact angle, water flux, salt rejection, heavy metal removals, antifouling property, and chlorine resistance of the TFN membranes were evaluated in depth. The addition of 20 ppm GO facilitated the formation of thin, smooth, and hydrophilic nanocomposite active layers. Thus, the TFN-PEI-GO-20 membrane showed the optimal water flux of 70.3 L·m−2·h−1 without a loss of salt rejection, which was 36.8% higher than the thin-film composite (TFC) blank membrane. More importantly, owing to the positively charged surfaces, both the TFC-PEI-blank and TFN-PEI-GO membranes exhibited excellent rejections toward various heavy metal ions including Zn2+, Cd2+, Cu2+, Ni2+, and Pb2+. Additionally, compared with the negatively charged polypiperazine amide NF membrane, both the TFC-PEI-blank and TFN-PEI-GO-20 membranes demonstrated superior antifouling performance toward the cationic surfactants and basic protein due to their hydrophilic, smooth, and positively charged surface. Moreover, the TFN-PEI-GO membranes presented the improved chlorine resistances with the increasing GO concentration.

IMPACTS OF HYDROPHILIC NANOFILLERS ON SEPARATION PERFORMANCE OF THIN FILM NANOCOMPOSITE REVERSE OSMOSIS MEMBRANE

2016 ◽  
Vol 78 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Y. Chong ◽  
G. S. Lai ◽  
W. J. Lau ◽  
N. Yusof ◽  
P. S. Goh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Water Permeability ◽  
Interfacial Polymerization ◽  
Pure Water ◽  
Water Flux ◽  
Water Desalination ◽  
Separation Performance ◽  
Salt Rejection ◽  
Tfc Membrane ◽  
Thin Film Nanocomposite

The membrane technology is still considered a costly method to produce potable water. In view of this, RO membrane with enhanced water permeability without trade-off in salt rejection is desirable as it could further reduce the cost for water desalination. In this study, thin film nanocomposite (TFN) membranes containing 0.05 or 0.10 w/v% hydrophilic nanofillers in polyamide layer were synthesized via interfacial polymerization of piperazine and trimesoyl chloride monomers. The resultant TFN membranes were characterized and compared with a control thin film composite (TFC) membrane. Results from the filtration experiments showed that TFN membranes exhibited higher water permeability, salt rejection and fouling resistance compared to that of the TFC membrane. Excessive amount of nanofillers incorporated in the membrane PA layer however negatively affected the cross-linking in the polymer matrix, thus deteriorating the membrane salt rejection. TFN membrane containing 0.05 w/v% of nanofillers showed better performances than the TFC membrane, recording a pure water flux of 11.2 L/m2∙h, and salt rejection of 95.4%, 97.3% and 97.5% against NaCl, Na2SO4 and MgSO4, respectively. 

scholarly journals Graphene Oxide Incorporated Polysulfone Substrate for Flat Sheet Thin Film Nanocomposite Pressure Retarded Osmosis Membrane

Membranes ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 416
Author(s):  
Siti Nur Amirah Idris ◽  
Nora Jullok ◽  
Woei Jye Lau ◽  
Hui Lin Ong ◽  
Cheng-Di Dong
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Graphene Oxide ◽  
Polymer Matrix ◽  
Water Flux ◽  
Weight Percent ◽  
Inversion Method ◽  
High Porosity ◽  
Pressure Retarded Osmosis ◽  
Flat Sheet ◽  
Thin Film Nanocomposite

This study focuses on the development of flat sheet thin film nanocomposite (TFN) pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) membranes for the enhancement of osmotic power generation by the incorporation of laboratory-synthesised graphene oxide (GO) into the polysulfone (PSf) polymer matrix. A series of membranes containing different weight percent of GO (0, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0 wt%) were fabricated via a phase inversion method with polyethylene glycol (PEG) as the pore forming agent. The results show that the TFN-0.25GO membrane has excellent water flux, salt reverse flux, high porosity and an enhanced microvoids morphology compared to the control membrane. The highest power density was achieved when TFN-0.25GO was used is 8.36 Wm−2 at pressure >15 bar. It was found that the incorporation of GO into the polymer matrix has significantly improved the intrinsic and mechanical properties of the membrane.

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