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Membranes
Volume 8
Issue 3
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Membranes, Volume 8, Issue 3 (September 2018) – 51 articles

Cover Story (view full-size image): In this paper, we present a facile fabrication of enhanced direct contact membrane distillation membrane via immobilization of the hydrophillic graphene oxide (GO) on the permeate side of a commercial polypropylene supported polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membrane. The hydrophilicity of the permeate side of a membrane was modified by immobilizing GO to facilitate the rapid condensation and removal of the permeated water vapors. Both flux and mass transfer coefficients improved significantly with the GO immobilization. View the paper here.
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15 pages, 3642 KiB  
Article
Dual Functional Ultrafiltration Membranes with Enzymatic Digestion and Thermo-Responsivity for Protein Self-Cleaning
by Anbharasi Vanangamudi, Ludovic F. Dumée, Mikel C. Duke and Xing Yang
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 85; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030085 - 19 Sep 2018
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 6092
Abstract
Controlling surface–protein interaction during wastewater treatment is the key motivation for developing functionally modified membranes. A new biocatalytic thermo-responsive poly vinylidene fluoride (PVDF)/nylon-6,6/poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)(PNIPAAm) ultrafiltration membrane was fabricated to achieve dual functionality of protein-digestion and thermo-responsive self-cleaning. The PVDF/nylon-6,6/PNIPAAm composite membranes were [...] Read more.
Controlling surface–protein interaction during wastewater treatment is the key motivation for developing functionally modified membranes. A new biocatalytic thermo-responsive poly vinylidene fluoride (PVDF)/nylon-6,6/poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)(PNIPAAm) ultrafiltration membrane was fabricated to achieve dual functionality of protein-digestion and thermo-responsive self-cleaning. The PVDF/nylon-6,6/PNIPAAm composite membranes were constructed by integrating a hydrophobic PVDF cast layer and hydrophilic nylon-6,6/PNIPAAm nanofiber layer on to which trypsin was covalently immobilized. The enzyme immobilization density on the membrane surface decreased with increasing PNIPAAm concentration, due to the decreased number of amine functional sites. An ultrafiltration study was performed using the synthetic model solution containing BSA/NaCl/CaCl2, where the PNIPAAm containing biocatalytic membranes demonstrated a combined effect of enzymatic and thermo-switchable self-cleaning. The membrane without PNIPAAm revealed superior fouling resistance and self-cleaning with an RPD of 22%, compared to membranes with 2 and 4 wt % PNIPAAm with 26% and 33% RPD, respectively, after an intermediate temperature cleaning at 50 °C, indicating that higher enzyme density offers more efficient self-cleaning than the combined effect of enzyme and PNIPAAm at low concentration. The conformational volume phase transition of PNIPAAm did not affect the stability of immobilized trypsin on membrane surfaces. Such novel surface engineering design offer a promising route to mitigate surface–protein contamination in wastewater applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured Membranes)
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22 pages, 7768 KiB  
Article
1D Mathematical Modelling of Non-Stationary Ion Transfer in the Diffusion Layer Adjacent to an Ion-Exchange Membrane in Galvanostatic Mode
by Aminat Uzdenova, Anna Kovalenko, Makhamet Urtenov and Victor Nikonenko
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 84; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030084 - 19 Sep 2018
Cited by 25 | Viewed by 4867
Abstract
The use of the Nernst–Planck and Poisson (NPP) equations allows computation of the space charge density near solution/electrode or solution/ion-exchange membrane interface. This is important in modelling ion transfer, especially when taking into account electroconvective transport. The most solutions in literature use the [...] Read more.
The use of the Nernst–Planck and Poisson (NPP) equations allows computation of the space charge density near solution/electrode or solution/ion-exchange membrane interface. This is important in modelling ion transfer, especially when taking into account electroconvective transport. The most solutions in literature use the condition setting a potential difference in the system (potentiostatic or potentiodynamic mode). However, very often in practice and experiment (such as chronopotentiometry and voltammetry), the galvanostatic/galvanodynamic mode is applied. In this study, a depleted stagnant diffusion layer adjacent to an ion-exchange membrane is considered. In this article, a new boundary condition is proposed, which sets a total current density, i, via an equation expressing the potential gradient as an explicit function of i. The numerical solution of the problem is compared with an approximate solution, which is obtained by a combination of numerical solution in one part of the diffusion layer (including the electroneutral region and the extended space charge region, zone (I) with an analytical solution in the other part (the quasi-equilibrium electric double layer (EDL), zone (II). It is shown that this approach (called the “zonal” model) allows reducing the computational complexity of the problem tens of times without significant loss of accuracy. An additional simplification is introduced by neglecting the thickness of the quasi-equilibrium EDL in comparison to the diffusion layer thickness (the “simplified” model). For the first time, the distributions of concentrations, space charge density and current density along the distance to an ion-exchange membrane surface are computed as functions of time in galvanostatic mode. The calculation of the transition time, τ, for an ion-exchange membrane agree with an experiment from literature. It is suggested that rapid changes of space charge density, and current density with time and distance, could lead to lateral electroosmotic flows delaying depletion of near-surface solution and increasing τ. Full article
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27 pages, 28476 KiB  
Review
Short Review on Porous Metal Membranes—Fabrication, Commercial Products, and Applications
by Bo Zhu, Mikel Duke, Ludovic F. Dumée, Andrea Merenda, Elise Des Ligneris, Lingxue Kong, Peter D. Hodgson and Stephen Gray
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 83; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030083 - 18 Sep 2018
Cited by 48 | Viewed by 12025
Abstract
Porous metal membranes have recently received increasing attention, and significant progress has been made in their preparation and characterisation. This progress has stimulated research in their applications in a number of key industries including wastewater treatment, dairy processing, wineries, and biofuel purification. This [...] Read more.
Porous metal membranes have recently received increasing attention, and significant progress has been made in their preparation and characterisation. This progress has stimulated research in their applications in a number of key industries including wastewater treatment, dairy processing, wineries, and biofuel purification. This review examines recent significant progress in porous metal membranes including novel fabrication concepts and applications that have been reported in open literature or obtained in our laboratories. The advantages and disadvantages of the different membrane fabrication methods were presented in light of improving the properties of current membrane materials for targeted applications. Sintering of particles is one of the main approaches that has been used for the fabrication of commercial porous metal membranes, and it has great advantages for the fabrication of hollow fibre metal membranes. However, sintering processes usually result in large pores (e.g., >1 µm). So far, porous metal membranes have been mainly used for the filtration of liquids to remove the solid particles. For porous metal membranes to be more widely used across a number of separation applications, particularly for water applications, further work needs to focus on the development of smaller pore (e.g., sub-micron) metal membranes and the significant reduction of capital and maintenance costs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured Membranes)
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20 pages, 5684 KiB  
Review
Thermodynamic Aspects in Non-Ideal Metal Membranes for Hydrogen Purification
by Stefano Bellini, Yu Sun, Fausto Gallucci and Alessio Caravella
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 82; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030082 - 16 Sep 2018
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 5823
Abstract
In this paper, an overview on thermodynamic aspects related to hydrogen-metal systems in non-ideal conditions is provided, aiming at systematically merging and analyzing information achieved from several different studies present in the open literature. In particular, the relationships among inner morphology, dissolved hydrogen [...] Read more.
In this paper, an overview on thermodynamic aspects related to hydrogen-metal systems in non-ideal conditions is provided, aiming at systematically merging and analyzing information achieved from several different studies present in the open literature. In particular, the relationships among inner morphology, dissolved hydrogen and internal stresses are discussed in detail, putting in evidence the conformation complexity and the various types of dislocations induced by the presence of H-atoms in the lattice. Specifically, it is highlighted that the octahedral sites are preferentially occupied in the FCC metals (such as palladium), whereas tetrahedral sites are more energetically favored in BCC-structured ones (such as vanadium). These characteristics are shown to lead to a different macroscopic behavior of the two classes of metals, especially in terms of solubility and mechanical failure due to the consequent induced stresses. Furthermore, starting from the expression of the chemical potential generally presented in the literature, a new convenient expression of the activity of the H-atoms dissolved into the metal lattice as a function of the H-concentration is achieved. Such an activity expression is then used in the dissolution equilibrium relationship, which is shown to be the overall result of two different phenomena: (i) dissociative adsorption of molecular hydrogen onto the surface; and (ii) atomic hydrogen dissolution from the surface to the metal bulk. In this way, the obtained expression for equilibrium allows a method to calculate the equilibrium composition in non-ideal conditions (high pressure), which are of interest for real industrial applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pd-based Membranes: Overview and Perspectives)
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17 pages, 3844 KiB  
Article
Grain Boundary Segregation in Pd-Cu-Ag Alloys for High Permeability Hydrogen Separation Membranes
by Ole Martin Løvvik, Dongdong Zhao, Yanjun Li, Rune Bredesen and Thijs Peters
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 81; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030081 - 12 Sep 2018
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4787
Abstract
Dense metal membranes that are based on palladium (Pd) are promising for hydrogen separation and production due to their high selectivity and permeability. Optimization of alloy composition has normally focused on bulk properties, but there is growing evidence that grain boundaries (GBs) play [...] Read more.
Dense metal membranes that are based on palladium (Pd) are promising for hydrogen separation and production due to their high selectivity and permeability. Optimization of alloy composition has normally focused on bulk properties, but there is growing evidence that grain boundaries (GBs) play a crucial role in the overall performance of membranes. The present study provides parameters and analyses of GBs in the ternary Pd-Ag-Cu system, based on first-principles electronic structure calculations. The segregation tendency of Cu, Ag, and vacancies towards 12 different coherent ∑ GBs in Pd was quantified using three different procedures for relaxation of supercell lattice constants, representing the outer bounds of infinitely elastic and stiff lattice around the GBs. This demonstrated a clear linear correlation between the excess volume and the GB energy when volume relaxation was allowed for. The point defects were attracted by most of the GBs that were investigated. Realistic atomic-scale models of binary Pd-Cu and ternary Pd-Cu-Ag alloys were created for the ∑5(210) boundary, in which the strong GB segregation tendency was affirmed. This is a starting point for more targeted engineering of alloys and grain structure in dense metal membranes and related systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pd-based Membranes: Overview and Perspectives)
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16 pages, 60870 KiB  
Article
Utilization of DES-Lignin as a Bio-Based Hydrophilicity Promoter in the Fabrication of Antioxidant Polyethersulfone Membranes
by Mohammadamin Esmaeili, Ikenna Anugwom, Mika Mänttäri and Mari Kallioinen
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 80; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030080 - 08 Sep 2018
Cited by 28 | Viewed by 5655
Abstract
Enhancement of membrane permeability at no detriment of its other performances, e.g., selectivity, is a goal-directed objective in membrane fabrication. A novel antioxidant DES-lignin (lignin extracted from birch wood by using a deep eutectic solvent) polyethersulfone (PES) membrane, containing 0–1 wt % DES-lignin, [...] Read more.
Enhancement of membrane permeability at no detriment of its other performances, e.g., selectivity, is a goal-directed objective in membrane fabrication. A novel antioxidant DES-lignin (lignin extracted from birch wood by using a deep eutectic solvent) polyethersulfone (PES) membrane, containing 0–1 wt % DES-lignin, was fabricated with the phase inversion technique. The performance and morphology of the fabricated membranes were characterized by a pure water flux, polyethylene glycol (PEG) retention, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and contact angle measurements. Membranes with less negative charge and better hydrophilicity were obtained when the DES-lignin content in the polymer solution was increased. With the highest dosage, the incorporation of DES-lignin in the membrane matrix improved the membrane permeability by 29.4% compared to a pure PES membrane. Moreover, no leakage of DES-lignin from the membrane structure was observed, indicating good compatibility of DES-lignin with the PES structure. It was also found that the improvement of both rejection and pure water flux could be achieved by using a small dosage of DES-lignin (0.25 wt %) in membrane fabrication. The membranes incorporated with DES-lignin showed higher DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS (2,2-Azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)) scavenging activity compared to the pure membrane, where 2.6 and 1.1 times higher DPPH and ABTS scavenging activity was observed with the highest DES-lignin content (1 wt %). Thus, the results of this study demonstrate well the feasibility of utilizing DES-lignin as an antioxidant bio-based hydrophilicity promoter in the fabrication of ultrafiltration membranes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fouling and Cleaning in Membrane Processes)
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13 pages, 2685 KiB  
Brief Report
Self-Cleaning Nanocomposite Membranes with Phosphorene-Based Pore Fillers for Water Treatment
by Joyner Eke, Katherine Elder and Isabel C. Escobar
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 79; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030079 - 07 Sep 2018
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 5615
Abstract
Phosphorene is a two-dimensional material exfoliated from bulk phosphorus and it possesses a band gap. Specifically, relevant to the field of membrane science, the band gap of phosphorene provides it with potential photocatalytic properties, which could be explored in making reactive membranes that [...] Read more.
Phosphorene is a two-dimensional material exfoliated from bulk phosphorus and it possesses a band gap. Specifically, relevant to the field of membrane science, the band gap of phosphorene provides it with potential photocatalytic properties, which could be explored in making reactive membranes that can self-clean. The goal of this study was to develop an innovative and robust membrane that is able to control and reverse fouling with minimal changes in membrane performance. To this end, for the first time, membranes have been embedded with phosphorene. Membrane modification was verified by the presence of phosphorus on membranes, along with changes in surface charge, average pore size, and hydrophobicity. After modification, phosphorene-modified membranes were used to filter methylene blue (MB) under intermittent ultraviolet light irradiation. Phosphorene-modified and unmodified membranes displayed similar rejection of MB; however, after reverse-flow filtration was performed to mimic pure water cleaning, the average recovered flux of phosphorene-modified membranes was four times higher than that of unmodified membranes. Furthermore, coverage of MB on phosphorene membranes after reverse-flow filtration was four times lower than that of unmodified membranes, which supports the hypothesis that phosphorene membranes operated under intermittent ultraviolet irradiation can become self-cleaning. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Membrane Preparation and Characterisation and Their Application in Environmental Field)
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16 pages, 2537 KiB  
Article
Implementation of Spiegler–Kedem and Steric Hindrance Pore Models for Analyzing Nanofiltration Membrane Performance for Smart Water Production
by Remya R. Nair, Evgenia Protasova, Skule Strand and Torleiv Bilstad
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 78; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030078 - 06 Sep 2018
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 7016
Abstract
A predictive model correlating the parameters in the mass transfer-based model Spiegler–Kedem to the pure water permeability is presented in this research, which helps to select porous polyamide membranes for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) applications. Using the experimentally obtained values of flux and [...] Read more.
A predictive model correlating the parameters in the mass transfer-based model Spiegler–Kedem to the pure water permeability is presented in this research, which helps to select porous polyamide membranes for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) applications. Using the experimentally obtained values of flux and rejection, the reflection coefficient σ and solute permeability Ps have been estimated as the mass transfer-based model parameters for individual ions in seawater. The reflection coefficient and solute permeability determined were correlated with the pure water permeability of a membrane, which is related to the structural parameters of a membrane. The novelty of this research is the development of a model that consolidates the various complex mechanisms in the mass transfer of ions through the membrane to an empirical correlation for a given feed concentration and membrane type. These correlations were later used to predict ion rejections of any polyamide membrane with a known pure water permeability and flux with seawater as a feed that aids in the selection of suitable nanofiltration (NF) for smart water production. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mass Transfer in Membranes)
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13 pages, 2430 KiB  
Article
Graphene Oxide (GO)-Blended Polysulfone (PSf) Ultrafiltration Membranes for Lead Ion Rejection
by Harish Ravishankar, Jens Christy and Veeriah Jegatheesan
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 77; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030077 - 06 Sep 2018
Cited by 47 | Viewed by 5707
Abstract
Graphene oxide (GO) has been widely reported and used for treatment of heavy metals from different waste streams. Although their use as additives for membranes has greatly enhanced membrane properties, there is still a bottleneck in obtaining membranes with high heavy-metal rejection efficiencies [...] Read more.
Graphene oxide (GO) has been widely reported and used for treatment of heavy metals from different waste streams. Although their use as additives for membranes has greatly enhanced membrane properties, there is still a bottleneck in obtaining membranes with high heavy-metal rejection efficiencies while maintaining high flux, mechanical strength, and porosity. In the present study, different compositions of GO (0–1 wt %)-blended membranes were prepared using 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) as solvent and water with 5% ethanol as non-solvent, and studied for the rejection of the chosen model heavy-metal lead. The prepared membranes were characterized for hydrophilicity, membrane porosity, flux, permeability, pore-size, mechanical strength, and membrane morphology. From the results, it was inferred that membranes having maximum GO in their blend (1 wt %) showed better hydrophilicity (water contact angle 34.2°), porosity (82.2%), permeability (52.1 L/m2 h bar), and pure water flux (163.71 L/m2 h) at 3-bar pressure as opposed to other compositions. The pore sizes of the membranes ranged between 18 to 24 nm. Tensile strength tests showed the role of GO as a positive reinforcement on the mechanical properties of membranes through Young’s modulus (188.13 ± 15.36 MPa) for the membrane having 0.25 wt % GO composition. Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy (ESEM) images displayed the dense top layer supported by a porous, finger-like structure, obtained from instantaneous de-mixing favored by NMP and GO. The observed reduction in flux of lead solution for GO-blended membranes was due to osmotic pressure build-up caused by the retained nitrate salt by GO on the retentate side of the membrane. A maximum rejection of 98% was achieved with 1 wt % GO membrane at 1-bar pressure with flux of 43.62 L/m2 h, which decreased to 94% at 3-bar pressure with flux of 142.95 L/m2 h. These results showed how the application of NMP as solvent and GO as an additive could facilitate in obtaining high-flux and high-rejection membranes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Inorganic Membranes)
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19 pages, 6371 KiB  
Article
Poly(1-trimethylsilyl-1-propyne)-Based Hybrid Membranes: Effects of Various Nanofillers and Feed Gas Humidity on CO2 Permeation
by Zhongde Dai, Vilde Løining, Jing Deng, Luca Ansaloni and Liyuan Deng
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 76; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030076 - 05 Sep 2018
Cited by 25 | Viewed by 6596
Abstract
Poly(1-trimethylsilyl-1-propyne) (PTMSP) is a high free volume polymer with exceptionally high gas permeation rate but the serious aging problem and low selectivity have limited its application as CO2 separation membrane material. Incorporating inorganic nanoparticles in polymeric membranes has been a common approach [...] Read more.
Poly(1-trimethylsilyl-1-propyne) (PTMSP) is a high free volume polymer with exceptionally high gas permeation rate but the serious aging problem and low selectivity have limited its application as CO2 separation membrane material. Incorporating inorganic nanoparticles in polymeric membranes has been a common approach to improve the separation performance of membranes, which has also been used in PTMSP based membrane but mostly with respect to tackling the aging issues. Aiming at increasing the CO2 selectivity, in this work, hybrid membranes containing four types of selected nanofillers (from 0 to 3D) were fabricated using PTMSP as the polymer matrix. The effects of the various types of nanofillers on the CO2 separation performance of the resultant membranes were systematically investigated in humid conditions. The thermal, chemical and morphologic properties of the hybrid membranes were characterized using TGA, FTIR and SEM. The gas permeation properties of the hybrid membranes were evaluated using mixed gas permeation test with the presence of water vapour to simulate the flue gas conditions. Experiments show that the addition of different fillers results in significantly different separation performances; The addition of ZIF-L porous 2D filler improves the CO2/N2 selectivity at the expenses of CO2 permeability, while the addition of TiO2, ZIF-7 and ZIF-8 increases the CO2 permeability but the CO2/N2 selectivity decreases. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gas Transport in Glassy Polymers)
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17 pages, 3770 KiB  
Article
Exploring the Gas-Permeation Properties of Proton-Conducting Membranes Based on Protic Imidazolium Ionic Liquids: Application in Natural Gas Processing
by Parashuram Kallem, Christophe Charmette, Martin Drobek, Anne Julbe, Reyes Mallada and Maria Pilar Pina
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 75; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030075 - 05 Sep 2018
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4890
Abstract
This experimental study explores the potential of supported ionic liquid membranes (SILMs) based on protic imidazolium ionic liquids (ILs) and randomly nanoporous polybenzimidazole (PBI) supports for CH4/N2 separation. In particular, three classes of SILMs have been prepared by the infiltration [...] Read more.
This experimental study explores the potential of supported ionic liquid membranes (SILMs) based on protic imidazolium ionic liquids (ILs) and randomly nanoporous polybenzimidazole (PBI) supports for CH4/N2 separation. In particular, three classes of SILMs have been prepared by the infiltration of porous PBI membranes with different protic moieties: 1-H-3-methylimidazolium bis (trifluoromethane sulfonyl)imide; 1-H-3-vinylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethane sulfonyl)imide followed by in situ ultraviolet (UV) polymerization to poly[1-(3H-imidazolium)ethylene] bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide. The polymerization process has been monitored by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and the concentration of the protic entities in the SILMs has been evaluated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Single gas permeability values of N2 and CH4 at 313 K, 333 K and 363 K were obtained from a series of experiments conducted in a batch gas permeance system. The results obtained were assessed in terms of the preferential cavity formation and favorable solvation of methane in the apolar domains of the protic ionic network. The most attractive behavior exhibited poly[1-(3H-imidazolium)ethylene]bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide polymeric ionic liquid (PIL) cross-linked with 1% divinylbenzene supported membranes, showing stable performance when increasing the upstream pressure. The CH4/N2 permselectivity value of 2.1 with CH4 permeability of 156 Barrer at 363 K suggests that the transport mechanism of the as-prepared SILMs is solubility-dominated. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mixed Matrix Membranes)
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10 pages, 1554 KiB  
Article
On-Line NIR to Regulate Pervaporation Process: Application for Dehydration
by Thomas La Rocca, Emilie Carretier, Thomas Clair, Martial Etienne and Philippe Moulin
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 74; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030074 - 04 Sep 2018
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 4038
Abstract
The regeneration of volatile organic solvents via dehydration tests, from 90 wt %, was evaluated by pervaporation using an on-line near-infrared (NIR) spectrometer. Experiments were performed using a bis(triethoxysilyl)methane (BTESM)-based ceramic HybSi® membrane at temperatures of 20, 30 and 40 °C. The [...] Read more.
The regeneration of volatile organic solvents via dehydration tests, from 90 wt %, was evaluated by pervaporation using an on-line near-infrared (NIR) spectrometer. Experiments were performed using a bis(triethoxysilyl)methane (BTESM)-based ceramic HybSi® membrane at temperatures of 20, 30 and 40 °C. The presence of an on-line NIR allows continuous monitoring of the process without sampling, and quickly estimates mass fractions of species in the retentate. Dehydration tests were performed at 30 °C in order to confirm the on-line NIR reproducibility, and closely matched results obtained with an off-line densimeter. These results validated the usefulness of the on-line NIR and provided the same precision whatever the mass fraction in the retentate. A good on-line reproducibility was found, with an agreement between the on-line NIR and off-line densimeter, obtaining an average deviation of ±0.058 wt %, ±0.17 wt % and ±0.049 wt %, respectively, at 20, 30 and 40 °C. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Membrane Preparation and Characterisation and Their Application in Environmental Field)
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15 pages, 2401 KiB  
Article
A Novel Time Lag Method for the Analysis of Mixed Gas Diffusion in Polymeric Membranes by On-Line Mass Spectrometry: Pressure Dependence of Transport Parameters
by Marcello Monteleone, Elisa Esposito, Alessio Fuoco, Marek Lanč, Kryštof Pilnáček, Karel Friess, Caterina Grazia Bezzu, Mariolino Carta, Neil Bruce McKeown and Johannes Carolus Jansen
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 73; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030073 - 03 Sep 2018
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 7188
Abstract
This paper presents a novel method for transient and steady state mixed gas permeation measurements, using a quadrupole residual gas analyser for the on-line determination of the permeate composition. The on-line analysis provides sufficiently quick response times to follow even fast transient phenomena, [...] Read more.
This paper presents a novel method for transient and steady state mixed gas permeation measurements, using a quadrupole residual gas analyser for the on-line determination of the permeate composition. The on-line analysis provides sufficiently quick response times to follow even fast transient phenomena, enabling the unique determination of the diffusion coefficient of the individual gases in a gas mixture. Following earlier work, the method is further optimised for higher gas pressures, using a thin film composite and a thick dense styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) block copolymer membrane. Finally, the method is used to calculate the CO2/CH4 mixed gas diffusion coefficients of the spirobisfluorene-based polymer of intrinsic microporosity, PIM-SBF-1. It is shown that the modest pressure dependence of the PIM-SBF-1 permeability can be ascribed to a much stronger pressure dependence of the diffusion coefficient, which partially compensates the decreasing solubility of CO2 with increasing pressure, typical for the strong sorption behaviour in PIMs. The characteristics of the instrument are discussed and suggestions are given for even more versatile measurements under stepwise increasing pressure conditions. This is the first report on mixed gas diffusion coefficients at different pressures in a polymer of intrinsic microporosity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymeric Membranes for Gas Separation)
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16 pages, 1874 KiB  
Article
Submerged Osmotic Processes: Design and Operation to Mitigate Mass Transfer Limitations
by Gaetan Blandin, Ignasi Rodriguez-Roda and Joaquim Comas
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 72; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030072 - 01 Sep 2018
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3966
Abstract
Submerged forward osmosis (FO) is of high interest for bioreactors, such as osmotic membrane bioreactor, microalgae photobioreactor, food or bioproduct concentration where pumping through pressurized modules is a limitation due to viscosity or breakage of fragile components. However, so far, most FO efforts [...] Read more.
Submerged forward osmosis (FO) is of high interest for bioreactors, such as osmotic membrane bioreactor, microalgae photobioreactor, food or bioproduct concentration where pumping through pressurized modules is a limitation due to viscosity or breakage of fragile components. However, so far, most FO efforts have been put towards cross flow configurations. This study provides, for the first time, insights on mass transfer limitations in the operation of submerged osmotic systems and offer recommendations for optimized design and operation. It is demonstrated that operation of the submerged plate and frame FO module requires draw circulation in the vacuum mode (vacuum assisted osmosis) that is in favor of the permeation flux. However, high pressure drops and dead zones occurring in classical U-shape FO draw channel strongly disadvantage this design; straight channel design proves to be more effective. External concentration polarization (ECP) is also a crucial element in the submerged FO process since mixing of the feed solution is not as optimized as in the cross flow module unless applying intense stirring. Among the mitigation techniques tested, air scouring proves to be more efficient than feed solution circulation. However, ECP mitigation methodology has to be adapted to application specificities with regards to combined/synergetic effects with fouling mitigation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling and Design of Membrane Reactors)
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17 pages, 3434 KiB  
Article
The Formation of Polyvinylidene Fluoride Membranes with Tailored Properties via Vapour/Non-Solvent Induced Phase Separation
by Tiziana Marino, Francesca Russo and Alberto Figoli
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 71; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030071 - 01 Sep 2018
Cited by 78 | Viewed by 7411
Abstract
The present investigation reports as it is possible to prepared polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes for microfiltration (MF) and ultrafiltration (UF) applications, by using triethyl phosphate (TEP) as non–toxic solvent in accordance with the Green Chemistry. Casting solutions containing different concentrations of polyethylene glycol [...] Read more.
The present investigation reports as it is possible to prepared polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes for microfiltration (MF) and ultrafiltration (UF) applications, by using triethyl phosphate (TEP) as non–toxic solvent in accordance with the Green Chemistry. Casting solutions containing different concentrations of polyethylene glycol (PEG) were prepared in order to study its effect on the final membrane morphology and properties. The possibility to finely modulate membrane properties was also investigated by applying two different membrane preparation techniques, the Non-Solvent Induced Phase Separation (NIPS) and its coupling with Vapour Induced Phase Separation (VIPS). Membranes’ morphology was detected by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Thickness, porosity, contact angle, pore size and water permeability were also recorded. Both the PEG content in the dope solution and the selected time intervals during which the nascent films were exposed to established relative humidity and temperature were found to play a crucial role in membrane formation. In particular, it was demonstrated as, by varying PEG content between 10 and 20 wt %, and by setting the exposure time to humidity at 0/2.5/5/7.5 min, membranes with different pore diameter and bicontinuous structure, suitable for UF and MF applications, could be easily obtained. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Membrane Preparation and Characterisation and Their Application in Environmental Field)
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15 pages, 4239 KiB  
Article
Modification of Nanofiber Support Layer for Thin Film Composite Forward Osmosis Membranes via Layer-by-Layer Polyelectrolyte Deposition
by Ralph Rolly Gonzales, Myoung Jun Park, Leonard Tijing, Dong Suk Han, Sherub Phuntsho and Ho Kyong Shon
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 70; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030070 - 25 Aug 2018
Cited by 48 | Viewed by 6236
Abstract
Electrospun nanofiber-supported thin film composite membranes are among the most promising membranes for seawater desalination via forward osmosis. In this study, a high-performance electrospun polyvinylidenefluoride (PVDF) nanofiber-supported thin film composite (TFC) membrane was successfully fabricated after molecular layer-by-layer polyelectrolyte deposition. Negatively-charged electrospun polyacrylic [...] Read more.
Electrospun nanofiber-supported thin film composite membranes are among the most promising membranes for seawater desalination via forward osmosis. In this study, a high-performance electrospun polyvinylidenefluoride (PVDF) nanofiber-supported thin film composite (TFC) membrane was successfully fabricated after molecular layer-by-layer polyelectrolyte deposition. Negatively-charged electrospun polyacrylic acid (PAA) nanofibers were deposited on electrospun PVDF nanofibers to form a support layer consisted of PVDF and PAA nanofibers. This resulted to a more hydrophilic support compared to the plain PVDF nanofiber support. The PVDF-PAA nanofiber support then underwent a layer-by-layer deposition of polyethylenimine (PEI) and PAA to form a polyelectrolyte layer on the nanofiber surface prior to interfacial polymerization, which forms the selective polyamide layer of TFC membranes. The resultant PVDF-LbL TFC membrane exhibited enhanced hydrophilicity and porosity, without sacrificing mechanical strength. As a result, it showed high pure water permeability and low structural parameter values of 4.12 L m−2 h−1 bar−1 and 221 µm, respectively, significantly better compared to commercial FO membrane. Layer-by-layer deposition of polyelectrolyte is therefore a useful and practical modification method for fabrication of high performance nanofiber-supported TFC membrane. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electrospun Nanofiber Membranes: Advances and Applications)
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15 pages, 1707 KiB  
Article
Composite Gel Polymer Electrolytes Based on Organo-Modified Nanoclays: Investigation on Lithium-Ion Transport and Mechanical Properties
by Cataldo Simari, Ernestino Lufrano, Luigi Coppola and Isabella Nicotera
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 69; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030069 - 24 Aug 2018
Cited by 33 | Viewed by 4823
Abstract
Composite gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) based on organo-modified montmorillonite clays have been prepared and investigated. The organo-clay was prepared by intercalation of CTAB molecules in the interlamellar space of sodium smectite clay (SWy) through a cation-exchange reaction. This was used as nanoadditive in [...] Read more.
Composite gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) based on organo-modified montmorillonite clays have been prepared and investigated. The organo-clay was prepared by intercalation of CTAB molecules in the interlamellar space of sodium smectite clay (SWy) through a cation-exchange reaction. This was used as nanoadditive in polyacrylonitrile/polyethylene-oxide blend polymer, lithium trifluoromethanesulphonate (LiTr) as salt and a mixture of ethylene carbonate/propylene carbonate as plasticizer. GPEs were widely characterized by DSC, SEM, and DMA, while the ion transport properties were investigated by AC impedance spectroscopy and multinuclear NMR spectroscopy. In particular, 7Li and 19F self-diffusion coefficients were measured by the pulse field gradient (PFG) method, and the spin-lattice relaxation times (T1) by the inversion recovery sequence. A complete description of the ions dynamics in so complex systems was achieved, as well as the ion transport number and ionicity index were estimated, proving that the smectite clay surfaces are able to “solvatate” both lithium and triflate ions and to create a preferential pathway for ion conduction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Composite Electrolyte & Electrode Membranes for Electrochemical Energy Storage & Conversion Devices)
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23 pages, 10611 KiB  
Review
Important Approaches to Enhance Reverse Osmosis (RO) Thin Film Composite (TFC) Membranes Performance
by Ahmed Al Mayyahi
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 68; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030068 - 21 Aug 2018
Cited by 32 | Viewed by 12664
Abstract
Thin film composite (TFC) membrane, which consists of polyamide (PA) active film rests on porous support layer, has been the major type of reverse osmosis (RO) membrane since its development by Cadotte in the 1970s, and has been remarkably used to produce clean [...] Read more.
Thin film composite (TFC) membrane, which consists of polyamide (PA) active film rests on porous support layer, has been the major type of reverse osmosis (RO) membrane since its development by Cadotte in the 1970s, and has been remarkably used to produce clean water for human consumption and domestic utilization. In the past 30 years, different approaches have been exploited to produce the TFC membrane with high water flux, excellent salt rejection, and better chlorine/fouling resistance. In this brief review, we classify the techniques that have been utilized to improve the RO-TFC membrane properties into four categories: (1) Using alternative monomers to prepare the active layer; (2) modification of membrane surface; (3) optimization of polymerization reactions; and (4) incorporation of nanoparticles (NPs) into the membrane PA layer. This review can provide insights to guide future research and further propel the RO TFN membrane. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Inorganic Membranes)
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16 pages, 4505 KiB  
Article
Chemical Crosslinking of 6FDA-ODA and 6FDA-ODA:DABA for Improved CO2/CH4 Separation
by Mohd Zamidi Ahmad, Henri Pelletier, Violeta Martin-Gil, Roberto Castro-Muñoz and Vlastimil Fila
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 67; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030067 - 20 Aug 2018
Cited by 33 | Viewed by 6564
Abstract
Chemical grafting or crosslinking of polyimide chains are known to be feasible approaches to increase polymer gas-pair selectivity and specific gas permeance. Different co-polyimides; 6FDA-ODA and 6FDA-ODA:DABA were synthesized using a two-step condensation method. Six different cross-linkers were used: (i) m-xylylene diamine; [...] Read more.
Chemical grafting or crosslinking of polyimide chains are known to be feasible approaches to increase polymer gas-pair selectivity and specific gas permeance. Different co-polyimides; 6FDA-ODA and 6FDA-ODA:DABA were synthesized using a two-step condensation method. Six different cross-linkers were used: (i) m-xylylene diamine; (ii) n-ethylamine; and (iii) n-butylamine, by reacting with 6FDA-ODA’s imide groups in a solid state crosslinking; while (iv) ethylene glycol monosalicylate (EGmSal); (v) ethylene glycol anhydrous (EGAn); and (vi) thermally labile iron (III) acetylacetonate (FeAc), by reacting with DABA carboxyl groups in 6FDA-ODA:DABA. The gas separation performances were evaluated by feeding an equimolar CO2 and CH4 binary mixture, at a constant feed pressure of 5 bar, at 25 °C. Fractional free volume (FFV) was calculated using Bondi’s contribution method by considering the membrane solid density property, measured by pycnometer. Other characterization techniques: thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were performed accordingly. Depending on the type of amine, the CO2/CH4 selectivity of 6FDA-ODA increased between 25 to 100% at the expense of CO2 permeance. We observed the similar trend for 6FDA-ODA:DABA EGmSal-crosslinked with 143% selectivity enhancement. FeAc-crosslinked membranes showed an increment in both selectivity and CO2 permeability by 126% and 29% respectively. Interestingly, FeAc acted as both cross-linker which reduces chain mobility; consequently improving the selectivity and as micro-pore former; thus increases the gas permeability. The separation stability was further evaluated using 25–75% CO2 in the feed with CH4 as the remaining, between 2 and 8 bar at 25 °C. We also observed no CO2-induced plasticization to the measured pressure with high CO2 content (max. 75%). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Membrane Preparation and Characterisation and Their Application in Environmental Field)
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10 pages, 8034 KiB  
Article
TiO2 Polyamide Thin Film Nanocomposite Reverses Osmosis Membrane for Water Desalination
by Ahmed Al Mayyahi
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 66; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030066 - 17 Aug 2018
Cited by 44 | Viewed by 5988
Abstract
In this study, TiO2 nanoparticles were inserted into the polyamide layer of traditional thin film composite membrane. The nanoparticles were dispersed in a trimesoyl chloride-hexane solution before interfacial polymerization with m-phenylenediamine-aqueous solution. Membrane characterization was performed via contact angle measurements, atomic [...] Read more.
In this study, TiO2 nanoparticles were inserted into the polyamide layer of traditional thin film composite membrane. The nanoparticles were dispersed in a trimesoyl chloride-hexane solution before interfacial polymerization with m-phenylenediamine-aqueous solution. Membrane characterization was performed via contact angle measurements, atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and water flux, salt rejection, and fouling resistance evaluation. The results indicate that TiO2 could effectively improve membrane performance. Water flux increased from 40 to 65 L/m² h by increasing NPs concentration from 0 to 0.1 wt. %, while NaCl rejection was above 96%. Moreover, the modified membrane demonstrated better organic fouling resistance and robust antibacterial efficiency. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Membrane Applications)
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22 pages, 9348 KiB  
Review
Progress in Methanol Steam Reforming Modelling via Membrane Reactors Technology
by Adolfo Iulianelli, Kamran Ghasemzadeh and Angelo Basile
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 65; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030065 - 17 Aug 2018
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 6230
Abstract
Hydrogen has attracted growing attention for various uses, and, particularly, for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) supply. However, PEMFCs need high grade hydrogen, which is difficult in storing and transportation. To solve these issues, hydrogen generation from alcohols and hydrocarbons steam reforming [...] Read more.
Hydrogen has attracted growing attention for various uses, and, particularly, for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) supply. However, PEMFCs need high grade hydrogen, which is difficult in storing and transportation. To solve these issues, hydrogen generation from alcohols and hydrocarbons steam reforming reaction has gained great consideration. Among the various renewable fuels, methanol is an interesting hydrogen source because at room temperature it is liquid, and then, easy to handle and to store. Furthermore, it shows a relatively high H/C ratio and low reforming temperature, ranging from 200 to 300 °C. In the field of hydrogen generation from methanol steam reforming reaction, a consistent literature is noticeable. Despite various reviews that are more devoted to describe from an experimental point of view the state of the art about methanol steam reforming reaction carried in conventional and membrane reactors, this work describes the progress in the last two decades about the modelling studies on the same reaction in membrane reactors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pd-based Membranes: Overview and Perspectives)
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18 pages, 3051 KiB  
Article
Electro-Conductive Composite Gold-Polyethersulfone-Ultrafiltration-Membrane: Characterization of Membrane and Natural Organic Matter (NOM) Filtration Performance at Different In-Situ Applied Surface Potentials
by Tomi Mantel, Paul Benne, Stanislav Parsin and Mathias Ernst
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 64; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030064 - 16 Aug 2018
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 5875
Abstract
Next to the pore size distribution, surface charge is considered to be one main factor in the separation performance of ultrafiltration (UF) membranes. By applying an external surface potential onto an electro-conductive UF membrane, electrostatic induced rejection was investigated. This study introduces in [...] Read more.
Next to the pore size distribution, surface charge is considered to be one main factor in the separation performance of ultrafiltration (UF) membranes. By applying an external surface potential onto an electro-conductive UF membrane, electrostatic induced rejection was investigated. This study introduces in a first part a relatively simple but yet not reported technology of membrane modification with direct current sputter deposition of ultrathin (15 nm) highly conductive gold layers. In a second part, characterization of the gold-coated UF flat sheet membrane with a molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) of 150 kDa is presented. Membrane parameters as contact angle (hydrophobicity), pure water permeability, MWCO, scanning electron microscopy imaging, zeta potential, surface conductivity and cyclic voltammetry of the virgin and the modified membrane are compared. Due to the coating, a high surface conductivity of 107 S m−1 was realized. Permeability of the modified membrane decreased by 40% but MWCO and contact angle remained almost unchanged. In a third part, cross-flow filtration experiments with negative charged Suwannee River Natural Organic Matter (SRNOM) are conducted at different cathodic and anodic applied potentials, different pH values (pH 4, 7, 10) and ionic strengths (0, 1, 10 mmol L−1). SRNOM rejection of not externally charged membrane was 28% in cross-flow and 5% in dead-end mode. Externally negative charged membrane (−1.5 V vs. Ag/AgCl) reached rejection of 64% which was close to the performance of commercial UF membrane with MWCO of 5 kDa. High ionic strengths or low pH of feed reduced the effect of electrostatic rejection. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Membrane Surfaces and Interfaces)
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12 pages, 2975 KiB  
Article
Immobilization of Graphene Oxide on the Permeate Side of a Membrane Distillation Membrane to Enhance Flux
by Worawit Intrchom, Sagar Roy, Madihah Saud Humoud and Somenath Mitra
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 63; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030063 - 15 Aug 2018
Cited by 34 | Viewed by 5979
Abstract
In this paper, a facile fabrication of enhanced direct contact membrane distillation membrane via immobilization of the hydrophilic graphene oxide (GO) on the permeate side (GOIM-P) of a commercial polypropylene supported polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membrane is presented. The permeate side hydrophilicity of the membrane [...] Read more.
In this paper, a facile fabrication of enhanced direct contact membrane distillation membrane via immobilization of the hydrophilic graphene oxide (GO) on the permeate side (GOIM-P) of a commercial polypropylene supported polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membrane is presented. The permeate side hydrophilicity of the membrane was modified by immobilizing the GO to facilitate fast condensation and the withdrawal of the permeate water vapors. The water vapor flux was found to be as high as 64.5 kg/m2·h at 80 °C, which is 15% higher than the unmodified membrane at a feed salt concentration of 10,000 ppm. The mass transfer coefficient was observed 6.2 × 10−7 kg/m2·s·Pa at 60 °C and 200 mL/min flow rate in the GOIM-P. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Membrane Preparation and Characterisation and Their Application in Environmental Field)
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24 pages, 3082 KiB  
Review
A Review on Properties of Natural and Synthetic Based Electrospun Fibrous Materials for Bone Tissue Engineering
by Deval Prasad Bhattarai, Ludwig Erik Aguilar, Chan Hee Park and Cheol Sang Kim
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 62; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030062 - 14 Aug 2018
Cited by 191 | Viewed by 11315
Abstract
Bone tissue engineering is an interdisciplinary field where the principles of engineering are applied on bone-related biochemical reactions. Scaffolds, cells, growth factors, and their interrelation in microenvironment are the major concerns in bone tissue engineering. Among many alternatives, electrospinning is a promising and [...] Read more.
Bone tissue engineering is an interdisciplinary field where the principles of engineering are applied on bone-related biochemical reactions. Scaffolds, cells, growth factors, and their interrelation in microenvironment are the major concerns in bone tissue engineering. Among many alternatives, electrospinning is a promising and versatile technique that is used to fabricate polymer fibrous scaffolds for bone tissue engineering applications. Copolymerization and polymer blending is a promising strategic way in purpose of getting synergistic and additive effect achieved from either polymer. In this review, we summarize the basic chemistry of bone, principle of electrospinning, and polymers that are used in bone tissue engineering. Particular attention will be given on biomechanical properties and biological activities of these electrospun fibers. This review will cover the fundamental basis of cell adhesion, differentiation, and proliferation of the electrospun fibers in bone tissue scaffolds. In the last section, we offer the current development and future perspectives on the use of electrospun mats in bone tissue engineering. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Electrospun Nanofiber Membranes: Advances and Applications)
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8 pages, 1395 KiB  
Article
An Efficient Polymer Inclusion Membrane-Based Device for Cd Monitoring in Seawater
by Ibrahim Ait Khaldoun, Lynda Mitiche, Amar Sahmoune and Clàudia Fontàs
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 61; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030061 - 10 Aug 2018
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 3257
Abstract
A novel and simple device that includes a polymer inclusion membrane (PIM) has been prepared and tested for the first time to detect low concentration levels of cadmium in seawater. The ionic liquid trihexyl (tetradecyl) phosphonium chloride (THTDPCl) has been shown to be [...] Read more.
A novel and simple device that includes a polymer inclusion membrane (PIM) has been prepared and tested for the first time to detect low concentration levels of cadmium in seawater. The ionic liquid trihexyl (tetradecyl) phosphonium chloride (THTDPCl) has been shown to be an effective extractant when incorporated in a PIM that uses cellulose triacetate (CTA) as a polymer. However, it has been reported that the use of a plasticizer is mandatory to ensure an effective transport, which uses both ultrapure water and a nitric acid solution as a stripping phase. A special device incorporating a PIM made of 50% CTA, 40% nitrophenyl octyl ether (as a plasticizer), and 10% THTDPCl, effectively allows the quantitative transport and preconcentration of 10 µg L−1 Cd from seawater samples to a stripping phase consisting of 0.5 M HNO3 solution. This study shows that the efficiency of the PIM system is not affected by high salinity nor the presence of large amounts of other ions, and can thus facilitate Cd monitoring in seawater samples. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Membrane Preparation and Characterisation and Their Application in Environmental Field)
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27 pages, 968 KiB  
Review
Current and Emerging Techniques for High-Pressure Membrane Integrity Testing
by Eddy R. Ostarcevic, Joseph Jacangelo, Stephen R. Gray and Marlene J. Cran
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 60; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030060 - 09 Aug 2018
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 5897
Abstract
Ideally, pressure driven membrane processes used in wastewater treatment such as reverse osmosis and nanofiltration should provide a complete physical barrier to the passage of pathogens such as enteric viruses. In reality, manufacturing imperfections combined with membrane ageing and damage can result in [...] Read more.
Ideally, pressure driven membrane processes used in wastewater treatment such as reverse osmosis and nanofiltration should provide a complete physical barrier to the passage of pathogens such as enteric viruses. In reality, manufacturing imperfections combined with membrane ageing and damage can result in breaches as small as 20 to 30 nm in diameter, sufficient to allow enteric viruses to contaminate the treated water and compromise public health. In addition to continuous monitoring, frequent demonstration of the integrity of membranes is required to provide assurance that the barrier to the passage of such contaminants is intact. Existing membrane integrity monitoring systems, however, are limited and health regulators typically credit high-pressure membrane systems with only 2 log10 virus rejection, well below their capability. A reliable real-time method that can recognize the true rejection potential of membrane systems greater than 4 log10 has not yet been established. This review provides a critical evaluation of the current methods of integrity monitoring and identifies novel approaches that have the potential to provide accurate, representative virus removal efficiency estimates. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Membrane Preparation and Characterisation and Their Application in Environmental Field)
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10 pages, 2804 KiB  
Article
Electrospun Silver Coated Polyacrylonitrile Membranes for Water Filtration Applications
by Shalv Amit Parekh, Rebecca Nicole David, Kranthi K. R. Bannuru, Lakshminarasimhan Krishnaswamy and Avinash Baji
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 59; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030059 - 08 Aug 2018
Cited by 29 | Viewed by 5949
Abstract
The scarcity of drinking water and the contamination of water sources in underdeveloped countries are serious problems that require immediate low-tech and low-cost solutions. In this study, we fabricated polyacrylonitrile (PAN) porous membranes coated with silver nanoparticles (AgNP) and demonstrated their use for [...] Read more.
The scarcity of drinking water and the contamination of water sources in underdeveloped countries are serious problems that require immediate low-tech and low-cost solutions. In this study, we fabricated polyacrylonitrile (PAN) porous membranes coated with silver nanoparticles (AgNP) and demonstrated their use for water filtration and water treatment applications. The membranes were prepared by electrospinning a PAN solution and treating in a hydroxylamine (NH2OH) aqueous solution to form –C(NH2)N–OH groups that were used for functionalization (Ag+ ions) of the membrane. The coordinated silver ions were then converted to silver nanoparticles. The microstructure of the membrane, water permeability, antimicrobial effect (using Escherichia coli), and particulate filtration capabilities were studied. This study verified that the membrane demonstrated a 100% reduction for Gram-negative bacteria with an effective filtration rate of 8.0 mL/cm2 min. Furthermore, the membrane was able to eliminate 60% of latex beads as small as 50 nm and over 80% of the 2 µm beads via gravity filtration. This study demonstrated that PAN–AgNP membranes can be employed as antimicrobial membranes for the filtration of water in underdeveloped countries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Membrane Preparation and Characterisation and Their Application in Environmental Field)
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8 pages, 978 KiB  
Article
Low Dispersity and High Conductivity Poly(4-styrenesulfonic acid) Membranes Obtained by Inexpensive Free Radical Polymerization of Sodium 4-styrenesulfonate
by Victor Raul Sepulveda, Ligia Sierra and Betty Lucy López
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 58; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030058 - 07 Aug 2018
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4905
Abstract
Controlled polymerizations are often used to synthesize polymers with low dispersity, which involves expensive initiators, constrained atmospheres, and multi-step purifying processes, especially with water soluble monomers. These drawbacks make the synthesis very expensive and of little industrial value. In this report, an inexpensive [...] Read more.
Controlled polymerizations are often used to synthesize polymers with low dispersity, which involves expensive initiators, constrained atmospheres, and multi-step purifying processes, especially with water soluble monomers. These drawbacks make the synthesis very expensive and of little industrial value. In this report, an inexpensive free radical polymerization of sodium 4-styrenesulfonate, using benzoyl peroxide as initiator in water/N,N-dimethylformamide solutions, is presented. After polymerization, an easy fiber precipitation method is implemented to extract and purify the polymer, obtaining conversions up to 99%, recoveries up to 98%, and molecular weight dispersities in the range of 1.15–1.85, where the pseudo-controlled behavior is attributed to a thermodynamic limiting molecular weight solubility. Three different methods were used to bring the polymer to its acid form, obtaining Ion Exchange Capacities as high as 4.8 meq/g. Finally, polymeric membranes were prepared and reached conductivities up to 164 mS/cm, which makes them good candidates as proton exchange membranes in fuel cells. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Polymeric Membranes)
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22 pages, 12437 KiB  
Article
Formation of Thin, Isoporous Block Copolymer Membranes by an Upscalable Profile Roller Coating Process—A Promising Way to Save Block Copolymer
by Thomas Bucher, Volkan Filiz, Clarissa Abetz and Volker Abetz
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 57; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030057 - 06 Aug 2018
Cited by 32 | Viewed by 9435
Abstract
In this work we present a method to manufacture flat sheet membranes with a thin isoporous block copolymer (BCP) layer (thickness <3 µm) by profile roller coating (breadth: 30 cm) on top of a porous support membrane. Highly diluted BCP-solutions were used for [...] Read more.
In this work we present a method to manufacture flat sheet membranes with a thin isoporous block copolymer (BCP) layer (thickness <3 µm) by profile roller coating (breadth: 30 cm) on top of a porous support membrane. Highly diluted BCP-solutions were used for this coating process. While we cast membranes with dimensions of 30 cm × 50 cm in this work, the procedure can easily be extended to endless dimensions in this roll to roll (R2R) process. The method offers the possibility to save >95% of BCP raw material compared to common doctor blade casting, by strongly decreasing the layer thickness to below 3 µm in combination with a highly open substructure. Additionally, we report a straightforward method to investigate the influence of the solvent evaporation time between coating and precipitation (phase inversion) on the membrane morphology using one sample only, which also ensures that all other influencing parameters remain constant. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymeric Porous Membranes)
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38 pages, 2720 KiB  
Review
Plasma Modification and Synthesis of Membrane Materials—A Mechanistic Review
by Jingshi Wang, Xiao Chen, Rackel Reis, Zhiqiang Chen, Nick Milne, Bjorn Winther-Jensen, Lingxue Kong and Ludovic F. Dumée
Membranes 2018, 8(3), 56; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes8030056 - 03 Aug 2018
Cited by 62 | Viewed by 7555
Abstract
Although commercial membranes are well established materials for water desalination and wastewater treatment, modification on commercial membranes is still necessary to deliver high-performance with enhanced flux and/or selectivity and fouling resistance. A modification method with plasma techniques has been extensively applied for high-performance [...] Read more.
Although commercial membranes are well established materials for water desalination and wastewater treatment, modification on commercial membranes is still necessary to deliver high-performance with enhanced flux and/or selectivity and fouling resistance. A modification method with plasma techniques has been extensively applied for high-performance membrane production. The paper presents a mechanistic review on the impact of plasma gas and polymerization, at either low pressure or atmospheric pressure on the material properties and performance of the modified membranes. At first, plasma conditions at low-pressure such as plasma power, gas or monomer flow rate, reactor pressure, and treatment duration which affect the chemical structure, surface hydrophilicity, morphology, as well as performance of the membranes have been discussed. The underlying mechanisms of plasma gas and polymerization have been highlighted. Thereafter, the recent research in plasma techniques toward membrane modification at atmospheric environment has been critically evaluated. The research focuses of future plasma-related membrane modification, and fabrication studies have been predicted to closely relate with the implementation of the atmospheric-pressure processes at the large-scale. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanostructured Membranes)
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