The development of highly permeable and selective thin-film
composite
(TFC) membranes is essential for organic solvent nanofiltration (OSN)
applications. However, overcoming the permeability–selectivity
trade-off in polymer membranes remains highly challenging owing to
the difficulty in controlling the thickness and nanostructures of
the selective layers. In this study, TFC OSN membranes with sandwich-like
structures were developed via interfacial polymerization on Cu-TCPP
nanosheet-modified microporous polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) substrate
surface. The interfacial polymerization was done by using mixed amine
(polyethyleneimine and piperazine) in the aqueous phase and the 1,3,5-benzenetricarbonyl
trichloride in the hydrophobic ionic liquid phase as monomers. It
was found that the Cu-TCPP nanosheets of micrometer lateral dimensions
and nanometer thickness (1.5 ± 0.6 nm) can be deposited on the
PVDF substrate as an interlayer to facilitate the following interfacial
polymerization reaction. The Cu-TCPP interlayer also can be served
as a binder between the polyamide selective layer and the microporous
PVDF substrate to enhance their mechanical strength. As compared with
the PVDF/PA membrane, the PVDF/t-Cu-TCPP/PA membrane
exhibited higher elongation (8.0 vs. 4.6%) while ensuring slightly
lower tensile strength (36.0 vs. 48.6 MPa). Under optimal synthetic
conditions, the TFC membranes could achieve 2.7 L m–2 h–1 bar–1, and 98.9% and 95.0%
rejection to Brilliant Blue R (826 Da) and Congo red (697 Da), respectively,
in ethanol. Furthermore, the membranes showed steady performance throughout
the 36 h nanofiltration of the Rose bengal/ethanol mixture and exhibited
good performance in the concentration of lecithin in methanol. Accordingly,
this work highlights the potential of using thin metal–organic
framework nanosheets as interlayers to develop high-performance TFC
membranes for OSN applications.