Regulating interfacial polymerization via a multi-functional calcium carbonate based interlayer for a highly permselective nanofiltration membrane. Issue 16 (3rd April 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hu, Mengyang; Fu, Wenming; Guan, Kecheng; Gonzales, Ralph Rolly; Song, Qiangqiang; Matsuoka, Atsushi; Mai, Zhaohuan; Chiao, Yu-Hsuan; Zhang, Pengfei; Li, Zhan; Matsuyama, Hideto
• Is Part Of: Journal of materials chemistry. Volume 11:Issue 16(2023)
• Page Start: 8836
• Page End: 8844
• Publication Date: 2023-04-03
• Subjects: Materials -- Research -- Periodicals; Chemistry, Analytic -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Research -- Periodicals; 543.0284
• DOI: 10.1039/d2ta10050a
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2050-7488

Abstract

Abstract : The CaCO3 interlayer was grown in situ on PK membrane through mineralization process, which plays a multi-functional role in the process of regulating IP and facilitating the formation of a thinner selective layer with rough and loose structure. Abstract : Highly permselective nanofiltration (NF) membranes have potential in water treatment applications, but overcoming the permeability–selectivity trade-off is a challenge. We introduce in this work, a highly permselective NF membrane fabricated by regulating interfacial polymerization (IP) with a calcium carbonate (CaCO3 ) interlayer. The flexible CaCO3 interlayer was grown in situ on the surface of a polyketone (PK) membrane through mineralization, which serves as a regulator to mediate the kinetics of IP by inhibiting the amine monomer diffusion across the interface between the aqueous and organic phases, promoting the synthesis of a thinner selective layer. Furthermore, the CaCO3 interlayer can react with HCl, a byproduct of the IP reaction, to release more heat and CO2 nanobubbles, resulting in the formation of a rough selective layer with a loose structure. The resultant CaCO3 interlayer-incorporated a NF membrane which demonstrated a high water permeance of 23.4 L m −2 h −1 bar −1 (around 3.5 times the permeance of a pristine NF membrane (6.7 L m −2 h −1 bar −1 )) with a Na2 SO4 rejection of 97.7%. The multi-functional interlayer explored in this current work may provide a new strategy for the preparation of membranes with highly satisfactory NF performance.