Delayed Solvent–Nonsolvent Demixing Preparation and Performance of a Highly Permeable Polyethersulfone Ultrafiltration Membrane
Membrane performance optimization is a critical preparation step that ensures optimum separation and fouling resistance. Several studies have employed additives such as carbon and inorganic nanomaterials to optimize membrane performance. These particles provide excellent results but are rather costl...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Membranes |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0375/13/1/39 |
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| author | Pfano Tshindane Bhekie B. Mamba Machawe M. Motsa Thabo T. I. Nkambule |
| author_facet | Pfano Tshindane Bhekie B. Mamba Machawe M. Motsa Thabo T. I. Nkambule |
| author_sort | Pfano Tshindane |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Membrane performance optimization is a critical preparation step that ensures optimum separation and fouling resistance. Several studies have employed additives such as carbon and inorganic nanomaterials to optimize membrane performance. These particles provide excellent results but are rather costly, unstable and toxic to several biological organs. This study demonstrated that performance enhancement can also be achieved through delayed solvent–nonsolvent demixing during phase inversion membrane preparation. The rate of solvent–nonsolvent demixing was delayed by increasing the concentration of the solvent in the coagulation bath. This study employed synthetic and real water samples and several analytical techniques to compare optimized performances and properties of membranes prepared in this study with that of nanoparticle-embedded membranes in the literature. Pure water flux and BSA rejection of the membranes prepared in this study were comparable to those of nanoparticle embedded membranes. This study also shows the influence of delayed solvent–nonsolvent demixing on membrane properties such as morphology, wettability, surface roughness and porosity, thereby showing the suitability of the technique in membrane optimization. Furthermore, fouling studies showed that membranes prepared in this study have high flux recovery when fouled by humic acid feed water (>95%) and above 50% flux recovery with real water samples. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:44:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-51c9a970a1e4468091ba568433f75579 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0375 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:44:26Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Membranes |
| spelling | doaj.art-51c9a970a1e4468091ba568433f755792023-11-30T23:26:22ZengMDPI AGMembranes2077-03752022-12-011313910.3390/membranes13010039Delayed Solvent–Nonsolvent Demixing Preparation and Performance of a Highly Permeable Polyethersulfone Ultrafiltration MembranePfano Tshindane0Bhekie B. Mamba1Machawe M. Motsa2Thabo T. I. Nkambule3Institute for Nanotechnology and Water Sustainability (iNanoWS), College of Science, Engineering and Technology (CSET), University of South Africa, Florida Science Campus, Private Bag X6, Florida 1709, South AfricaInstitute for Nanotechnology and Water Sustainability (iNanoWS), College of Science, Engineering and Technology (CSET), University of South Africa, Florida Science Campus, Private Bag X6, Florida 1709, South AfricaInstitute for Nanotechnology and Water Sustainability (iNanoWS), College of Science, Engineering and Technology (CSET), University of South Africa, Florida Science Campus, Private Bag X6, Florida 1709, South AfricaInstitute for Nanotechnology and Water Sustainability (iNanoWS), College of Science, Engineering and Technology (CSET), University of South Africa, Florida Science Campus, Private Bag X6, Florida 1709, South AfricaMembrane performance optimization is a critical preparation step that ensures optimum separation and fouling resistance. Several studies have employed additives such as carbon and inorganic nanomaterials to optimize membrane performance. These particles provide excellent results but are rather costly, unstable and toxic to several biological organs. This study demonstrated that performance enhancement can also be achieved through delayed solvent–nonsolvent demixing during phase inversion membrane preparation. The rate of solvent–nonsolvent demixing was delayed by increasing the concentration of the solvent in the coagulation bath. This study employed synthetic and real water samples and several analytical techniques to compare optimized performances and properties of membranes prepared in this study with that of nanoparticle-embedded membranes in the literature. Pure water flux and BSA rejection of the membranes prepared in this study were comparable to those of nanoparticle embedded membranes. This study also shows the influence of delayed solvent–nonsolvent demixing on membrane properties such as morphology, wettability, surface roughness and porosity, thereby showing the suitability of the technique in membrane optimization. Furthermore, fouling studies showed that membranes prepared in this study have high flux recovery when fouled by humic acid feed water (>95%) and above 50% flux recovery with real water samples.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0375/13/1/39phase inversiondelayed solvent–nonsolvent demixinghydrophilicityfouling |
| spellingShingle | Pfano Tshindane Bhekie B. Mamba Machawe M. Motsa Thabo T. I. Nkambule Delayed Solvent–Nonsolvent Demixing Preparation and Performance of a Highly Permeable Polyethersulfone Ultrafiltration Membrane Membranes phase inversion delayed solvent–nonsolvent demixing hydrophilicity fouling |
| title | Delayed Solvent–Nonsolvent Demixing Preparation and Performance of a Highly Permeable Polyethersulfone Ultrafiltration Membrane |
| title_full | Delayed Solvent–Nonsolvent Demixing Preparation and Performance of a Highly Permeable Polyethersulfone Ultrafiltration Membrane |
| title_fullStr | Delayed Solvent–Nonsolvent Demixing Preparation and Performance of a Highly Permeable Polyethersulfone Ultrafiltration Membrane |
| title_full_unstemmed | Delayed Solvent–Nonsolvent Demixing Preparation and Performance of a Highly Permeable Polyethersulfone Ultrafiltration Membrane |
| title_short | Delayed Solvent–Nonsolvent Demixing Preparation and Performance of a Highly Permeable Polyethersulfone Ultrafiltration Membrane |
| title_sort | delayed solvent nonsolvent demixing preparation and performance of a highly permeable polyethersulfone ultrafiltration membrane |
| topic | phase inversion delayed solvent–nonsolvent demixing hydrophilicity fouling |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0375/13/1/39 |
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