Elucidation on Performance and Structural Properties of Skinned Asymmetric Nanofiltration Membrane Based on Theoretical Models

Abstract

In this study, the performance and structural properties of enhanced skinned asymmetric nanofiltration (NF) membranes were experimentally and theoretically analyzed. Based on Donnan and steric-hindrance transport mechanism, the relationship of performances and key properties of the fabricated nanofiltration membranes were examined. At the optimum concentration of polymer, the skinned nanofiltration membranes achieved high salt rejection up to 85% and high solutes separation efficacy. Moreover, morphological and modeling analysis discovered that, the optimum membranes produced good pore size and fine key properties with 1.20 nm of pore radius, 4.96 µm of ratio of thickness to porosity (∆x/Ak) and −1.56 of surface charge, ζ as well as uniform pore size distributions. The findings from this study proved that the strategic utilization and manipulation of good membranes material is a simple and good attempt to upgrade the membranes capability and usability which lead towards the application in various membrane separation processes.