Electrically Polarized Graphene-Blended Spacers for Organic Fouling Reduction in Forward Osmosis

In membrane processes, a spacer is known to play a key role in the mitigation of membrane fouling. In this study, the effect of electric polarization on a graphene-blended polymer spacer (e.g., poly(lactic acid), PLA) for organic fouling on membrane surfaces was investigated. A pristine PLA spacer (...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Numan Yanar, Yejin Liang, Eunmok Yang, Hosik Park, Moon Son, Heechul Choi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-01-01
Series:Membranes
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0375/11/1/36
_version_ 1797542451102089216
author Numan Yanar
Yejin Liang
Eunmok Yang
Hosik Park
Moon Son
Heechul Choi
author_facet Numan Yanar
Yejin Liang
Eunmok Yang
Hosik Park
Moon Son
Heechul Choi
author_sort Numan Yanar
collection DOAJ
description In membrane processes, a spacer is known to play a key role in the mitigation of membrane fouling. In this study, the effect of electric polarization on a graphene-blended polymer spacer (e.g., poly(lactic acid), PLA) for organic fouling on membrane surfaces was investigated. A pristine PLA spacer (P-S), a graphene-blended spacer (G-S), and an electrically polarized graphene-blended spacer (EG-S) were successfully fabricated by 3D printing. Organic fouling tests were conducted by the 5-h filtration of CaCl<sub>2</sub> and a sodium alginate solution through commercially available membranes, which were placed together with the fabricated spacers. Membranes utilizing P-S, G-S, and EG-S were characterized in terms of the fouling amount on the membrane surface and fouling roughness. Electrostatic forces of EG-S provided 70% less and 90% smoother fouling on the membrane surface, leading to an only 14% less water flux reduction after 5 h of fouling. The importance of nanomaterial blending and polarization was successfully demonstrated herein.
first_indexed 2024-03-10T13:30:43Z
format Article
id doaj.art-2783ebdcd38a41638c9996a916512102
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2077-0375
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-10T13:30:43Z
publishDate 2021-01-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Membranes
spelling doaj.art-2783ebdcd38a41638c9996a9165121022023-11-21T08:01:39ZengMDPI AGMembranes2077-03752021-01-011113610.3390/membranes11010036Electrically Polarized Graphene-Blended Spacers for Organic Fouling Reduction in Forward OsmosisNuman Yanar0Yejin Liang1Eunmok Yang2Hosik Park3Moon Son4Heechul Choi5School of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), 123-Cheomdangwagi-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju 61005, KoreaSchool of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), 123-Cheomdangwagi-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju 61005, KoreaSchool of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), 123-Cheomdangwagi-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju 61005, KoreaGreen Carbon Research Center, Chemical Process Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Daejeon 34114, KoreaSchool of Urban and Environmental Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, 50, UNIST-gil, Eonyang-eup, Ulju-gun, Ulsan 44919, KoreaSchool of Earth Sciences and Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), 123-Cheomdangwagi-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju 61005, KoreaIn membrane processes, a spacer is known to play a key role in the mitigation of membrane fouling. In this study, the effect of electric polarization on a graphene-blended polymer spacer (e.g., poly(lactic acid), PLA) for organic fouling on membrane surfaces was investigated. A pristine PLA spacer (P-S), a graphene-blended spacer (G-S), and an electrically polarized graphene-blended spacer (EG-S) were successfully fabricated by 3D printing. Organic fouling tests were conducted by the 5-h filtration of CaCl<sub>2</sub> and a sodium alginate solution through commercially available membranes, which were placed together with the fabricated spacers. Membranes utilizing P-S, G-S, and EG-S were characterized in terms of the fouling amount on the membrane surface and fouling roughness. Electrostatic forces of EG-S provided 70% less and 90% smoother fouling on the membrane surface, leading to an only 14% less water flux reduction after 5 h of fouling. The importance of nanomaterial blending and polarization was successfully demonstrated herein.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0375/11/1/36organic foulingelectrically polarized spacer3D printed spacerforward osmosisgraphene-blended spacersnanomaterial-blended spacers
spellingShingle Numan Yanar
Yejin Liang
Eunmok Yang
Hosik Park
Moon Son
Heechul Choi
Electrically Polarized Graphene-Blended Spacers for Organic Fouling Reduction in Forward Osmosis
Membranes
organic fouling
electrically polarized spacer
3D printed spacer
forward osmosis
graphene-blended spacers
nanomaterial-blended spacers
title Electrically Polarized Graphene-Blended Spacers for Organic Fouling Reduction in Forward Osmosis
title_full Electrically Polarized Graphene-Blended Spacers for Organic Fouling Reduction in Forward Osmosis
title_fullStr Electrically Polarized Graphene-Blended Spacers for Organic Fouling Reduction in Forward Osmosis
title_full_unstemmed Electrically Polarized Graphene-Blended Spacers for Organic Fouling Reduction in Forward Osmosis
title_short Electrically Polarized Graphene-Blended Spacers for Organic Fouling Reduction in Forward Osmosis
title_sort electrically polarized graphene blended spacers for organic fouling reduction in forward osmosis
topic organic fouling
electrically polarized spacer
3D printed spacer
forward osmosis
graphene-blended spacers
nanomaterial-blended spacers
url https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0375/11/1/36
work_keys_str_mv AT numanyanar electricallypolarizedgrapheneblendedspacersfororganicfoulingreductioninforwardosmosis
AT yejinliang electricallypolarizedgrapheneblendedspacersfororganicfoulingreductioninforwardosmosis
AT eunmokyang electricallypolarizedgrapheneblendedspacersfororganicfoulingreductioninforwardosmosis
AT hosikpark electricallypolarizedgrapheneblendedspacersfororganicfoulingreductioninforwardosmosis
AT moonson electricallypolarizedgrapheneblendedspacersfororganicfoulingreductioninforwardosmosis
AT heechulchoi electricallypolarizedgrapheneblendedspacersfororganicfoulingreductioninforwardosmosis