Hydrophobic Antifouling Electrospun Mats from Zwitterionic Amphiphilic Copolymers

Abstract

A porous material that is both hydrophobic and fouling-resistant is needed in many applications, such as water purification by membrane distillation. In this work, we take a novel approach to fabricating such membranes. Using the zwitterionic amphiphilic copolymer poly(trifluoroethyl methacrylate- random-sulfobetaine methacrylate), we electrospin nonwoven, porous membranes that combine high hydrophobicity with resistance to protein adsorption. By changing the electrospinning parameters and the solution composition, membranes can be prepared with a wide range of fiber morphologies including beaded, bead-free, wrinkly, and ribbonlike fibers, with diameters ranging between ∼150 nm and 1.5 μm. The addition of LiCl to the spinning solution not only helps control the fiber morphology but also increases the segregation of zwitterionic groups on the membrane surface. The resultant electrospun membranes are highly porous and very hydrophobic, yet resist the adsorption of proteins and retain a high contact angle (∼140°) even after exposure to a protein solution. This makes these materials promising candidates for the membrane distillation of contaminated wastewater streams and as self-cleaning materials.

Current and Emerging Approaches to Engineer Antibacterial and Antifouling Electrospun Nanofibers

“…Recently, the nanofiber mats that have been electrospun from mixtures of poly(vinylidene fluoride) and random zwitterionic copolymers of poly(methyl methacrylate) and sulfobetaine-2-vinylpyridine (SB2VP) demonstrated a fivefold reduction in bovine serum albumin adsorption versus homopolymer poly(vinylidene fluoride) nanofibers [ 148 ]. Additionally, Ozcan et al have electrospun the zwitterionic amphiphilic copolymer poly(trifluoroethyl methacrylate-random-sulfobetaine methacrylate) (PTFEMA-r-SBMA) into very hydrophobic (~140°) nanofibers that resisted the bovine serum albumin adsorption [ 149 ].…”

Reversible swelling as a strategy in the development of smart membranes from electrospun polyvinyl alcohol nanofiber mats

“…In a sustainable filtering system, two characteristics are essential: the capacity of the membrane to retain contaminants and its ability to clean itself controlling fouling . The capacity of a membrane to retain particles is given, among others, by the size of its pores …”

“…[1][2][3][4][5] In a sustainable filtering system, two characteristics are essential: the capacity of the membrane to retain contaminants and its ability to clean itself controlling fouling. [6][7][8][9] The capacity of a membrane to retain particles is given, among others, by the size of its pores. [10,11] The filtration device to be used must be chosen according to the physicochemical properties of the fluid that will be permeated and the contaminants that will be removed.…”

Waterproof and Breathable Electrospun Nanofibrous Membranes

“…[12] Inspired by the above mentioned biological organisms in nature, human beings have constructed materials with W&B performance for particular applications since ancient Consequently, the electrospun W&B membranes have received a lot of research attention, and achieved rapid development in the past few years, which show promising utility in many fields including health, [30,31] resources, and energy. [32][33][34][35] However, no review that focuses on the development of electrospun W&B membranes has been published so far. Here, we provide a review on the most recent progress on electrospun W&B membranes.…”

“…Moreover, electrospun nanofibrous membranes have some unique advantages including high porosity, adjustable porous structure and easily tailored wettability, which coincide well with the basic criteria of designing W&B materials. Consequently, the electrospun W&B membranes have received a lot of research attention, and achieved rapid development in the past few years, which show promising utility in many fields including health, resources, and energy …”