Synthesis and characterization of PES/PSF/PEG by immersion precipitation for Mediterranean seawater desalination by FO membrane

Abstract

In the present study, a simple, inexpensive, nontoxic, and environmentally friendly polyethylene glycol (PEG) polymer was used to enhance the hydrophilicity of the forward osmosis (FO) membrane using various PEG concentrations as a pore forming agent in the casting solution of polyethersulfone/polysulfone (PES/PSF) blend membranes. A nonwoven PES/PSF FO blend membrane was fabricated via the immersion precipitation phase inversion technique. The membrane dope solution was cast on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) nonwoven fabric. The results revealed that PEG is a pore forming agent and that adding PEG promotes membrane hydrophilicity. The membrane with 1 wt% PEG (PEG1) had about 27% lower contact angle than the pristine blend membrane. The PEG1 membrane has less tortuosity (which reduces from 3.4–2.73), resulting in a smaller structure parameter (S value) of 277 μm, due to the presence of open pores on the bottom surface structure, which results in diminished ICP. Using 1 M NaCl as the draw solution and distilled water as the feed solution, the PEG1 membrane exhibited higher water flux (136 L m−2 h−1) and lower reverse salt flux (1.94 g m−2 h−1). Also, the selectivity of the membrane, specific reverse salt flux, (Js/Jw) showed lower values (0.014 g/L). Actually, the PEG1 membrane has a 34.6% higher water flux than the commercial nonwoven‐cellulose triacetate (NW‐CTA) membrane. By means of varied concentrations of NaCl salt solution (0.6, 1, 1.5, and 2 M), the membrane with 1 wt% PEG showed improved FO separation performance with permeate water fluxes of 108, 136, 142, and 163 L m−2 h−1. In this work, we extend a promising gate for designing fast water flux PES/PSF/PEG FO blend membranes for water desalination.

(3-Aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane-Functionalized Titanium Dioxide Thin-Film Nanocomposite Membrane: Enhanced Rejection Performance for Unary and Binary High-Salt Wastewater

“…The feed solution and the draw solution in the experiment were DI water and 1 M NaCl aqueous solution, respectively. The AL-DS orientation was selected due to the serious concentration polarization when using AL-FS orientation. − As shown in Figure , the water flux of the control TFC group is approximately 5.58 LMH, which is comparable to the commercial FO membranes under the same experimental conditions. − APTMS-TFN0.01 exhibited the highest water flux of up to 18.52 LMH, which is 231.90% higher than that of the TFC FO membrane (5.58 LMH) and 45.25% higher than that of the pristine TFN membrane (12.75 LMH), followed by APTMS-TFN0.05 numbered as high as 18.14 LMH. The enhanced water fluxes can be attributed to the incorporation of modified TiO 2 nanoparticles in the PA active layer, possibly due to the combined effect of increased hydrophilicity (Table ).…”

Fabrication optimization of polyethersulfone adsorptive mixed matrix membrane for enhanced dynamic methylene blue removal: Response surface methodology approach

“…The incorporation of appropriate additives into the casting solution, implementation of supplementary procedures, and integration of chemical processes with the phase separation process may yield the desired qualities in the polymeric membrane. 23 Polyethersulfone (PES), as an engineering polymer, with excellent chemical resistance, good thermal stability, good mechanical properties, excellent film-forming properties, and well enough solubility in different solvents, is mostly used as a membrane material for preparation of forward osmosis (FO), 24 MF, UF, 25 NF, and RO membranes. [26][27][28][29] Poolachira et al indicated that permeate flux of the PES/GO/ polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) membrane is 150.2 L m À2 h À1 , and eight times higher than that of the unmodified membrane.…”

“…Polyethersulfone (PES), as an engineering polymer, with excellent chemical resistance, good thermal stability, good mechanical properties, excellent film‐forming properties, and well enough solubility in different solvents, is mostly used as a membrane material for preparation of forward osmosis (FO), 24 MF, UF, 25 NF, and RO membranes 26–29 …”

Poloxamer 407 Combined with Polyvinylpyrrolidone To Prepare a High-Performance Poly(ether sulfone) Ultrafiltration Membrane

“…In the NIPS process, pores are easy to extract from the solid membrane surface, and they are often used for hydrophobic membrane modification to significantly improve the wettability of the membrane surface. Due to its difficult-to-control branched structure, it is easy to come out of the membrane, and mixing with the membrane matrix will produce an uneven pore structure, thereby affecting the screening performance of the membrane. − However, the poor binding ability of inorganic nanomaterials to matrix materials will lead to unstable membrane modification.…”

“…Due to its difficult-to-control branched structure, it is easy to come out of the membrane, and mixing with the membrane matrix will produce an uneven pore structure, thereby affecting the screening performance of the membrane. 31 − 34 However, the poor binding ability of inorganic nanomaterials to matrix materials will lead to unstable membrane modification.…”