Novel nanofiltration membranes with tunable permselectivity by polymer mediated phase separation in polyamide selective layer

doi:10.1016/j.cjche.2016.04.019

Abstract

Abstract: Microstructure in selective layer has played a decisive role in permselectivity of nanofiltration (NF) membranes, and nanomaterials were well-known additives that had been applied to mediate the microstructure and permeability of polyamide NF membranes. However, nanoadditives generally displayed a poor dispersion in membranes or in fabrication process. To solve this problem, we showed an interesting concept that novel NF membranes with hybrid selective layer consisting of flexible polyisobutylene (PIB) and rigid polyamide could be fabricated fromwell-defined interfacial polymerization. The hydrophobic polymer mediated phase separation andmicrodomains formation in polyamide layerwere found. The immiscibility between the rigid polyamide and flexible PIB as well as the resultant interface effect was interpreted as the reason for the polymer enhanced permselectivity, which was similar with the well-known thin film nanocomposite (TFN) membranes that nanoparticles incorporated contributed significantly to membrane permeability and rejection performance. Our results have demonstrated that novel NF membranes with enhanced performance can be prepared fromimmiscible polymers, which is a new area that has not been extensively studied before.

Key words: Nanofiltration membranes, Interfacial polymerization, Polymer additive, Hydrophobicity, Fabrication

摘要： Microstructure in selective layer has played a decisive role in permselectivity of nanofiltration (NF) membranes, and nanomaterials were well-known additives that had been applied to mediate the microstructure and permeability of polyamide NF membranes. However, nanoadditives generally displayed a poor dispersion in membranes or in fabrication process. To solve this problem, we showed an interesting concept that novel NF membranes with hybrid selective layer consisting of flexible polyisobutylene (PIB) and rigid polyamide could be fabricated fromwell-defined interfacial polymerization. The hydrophobic polymer mediated phase separation andmicrodomains formation in polyamide layerwere found. The immiscibility between the rigid polyamide and flexible PIB as well as the resultant interface effect was interpreted as the reason for the polymer enhanced permselectivity, which was similar with the well-known thin film nanocomposite (TFN) membranes that nanoparticles incorporated contributed significantly to membrane permeability and rejection performance. Our results have demonstrated that novel NF membranes with enhanced performance can be prepared fromimmiscible polymers, which is a new area that has not been extensively studied before.

关键词: Nanofiltration membranes, Interfacial polymerization, Polymer additive, Hydrophobicity, Fabrication

Zhuan Yi, Fa-dong Wu, Yong Zhou, Cong-jie Gao. Novel nanofiltration membranes with tunable permselectivity by polymer mediated phase separation in polyamide selective layer[J]. Chin.J.Chem.Eng., 2016, 24(11): 1533-1540.

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