Forward Osmosis Membrane: Review of Fabrication, Modification, Challenges and Potential
Forward osmosis (FO) is a low-energy treatment process driven by osmosis to induce the separation of water from dissolved solutes/foulants through the membrane in hydraulic pressure absence while retaining all of these materials on the other side. All these advantages make it an alternative process...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Membranes |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0375/13/4/379 |
| _version_ | 1797604390545129472 |
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| author | Bakr M. Ibraheem Saif Al Aani Alanood A. Alsarayreh Qusay F. Alsalhy Issam K. Salih |
| author_facet | Bakr M. Ibraheem Saif Al Aani Alanood A. Alsarayreh Qusay F. Alsalhy Issam K. Salih |
| author_sort | Bakr M. Ibraheem |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Forward osmosis (FO) is a low-energy treatment process driven by osmosis to induce the separation of water from dissolved solutes/foulants through the membrane in hydraulic pressure absence while retaining all of these materials on the other side. All these advantages make it an alternative process to reduce the disadvantages of traditional desalination processes. However, several critical fundamentals still require more attention for understanding them, most notably the synthesis of novel membranes that offer a support layer with high flux and an active layer with high water permeability and solute rejection from both solutions at the same time, and a novel draw solution which provides low solute flux, high water flux, and easy regeneration. This work reviews the fundamentals controlling the FO process performance such as the role of the active layer and substrate and advances in the modification of FO membranes utilizing nanomaterials. Then, other aspects that affect the performance of FO are further summarized, including types of draw solutions and the role of operating conditions. Finally, challenges associated with the FO process, such as concentration polarization (CP), membrane fouling, and reverse solute diffusion (RSD) were analyzed by defining their causes and how to mitigate them. Moreover, factors affecting the energy consumption of the FO system were discussed and compared with reverse osmosis (RO). This review will provide in-depth details about FO technology, the issues it faces, and potential solutions to those issues to help the scientific researcher facilitate a full understanding of FO technology. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:45:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9aab36a6adfd49ecace471b77aa69aa4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0375 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:45:50Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Membranes |
| spelling | doaj.art-9aab36a6adfd49ecace471b77aa69aa42023-11-17T20:22:46ZengMDPI AGMembranes2077-03752023-03-0113437910.3390/membranes13040379Forward Osmosis Membrane: Review of Fabrication, Modification, Challenges and PotentialBakr M. Ibraheem0Saif Al Aani1Alanood A. Alsarayreh2Qusay F. Alsalhy3Issam K. Salih4Membrane Technology Research Unit, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Technology-Iraq, Alsinaa Street 52, Baghdad 10066, IraqThe State Company of Energy Production—Middle Region, Ministry of Electricity, Baghdad 10013, IraqDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Mutah University, P.O. Box 7, Karak 61710, JordanMembrane Technology Research Unit, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Technology-Iraq, Alsinaa Street 52, Baghdad 10066, IraqDepartment of Chemical Engineering and Petroleum Industries, Al-Mustaqbal University College, Hillah 51001, IraqForward osmosis (FO) is a low-energy treatment process driven by osmosis to induce the separation of water from dissolved solutes/foulants through the membrane in hydraulic pressure absence while retaining all of these materials on the other side. All these advantages make it an alternative process to reduce the disadvantages of traditional desalination processes. However, several critical fundamentals still require more attention for understanding them, most notably the synthesis of novel membranes that offer a support layer with high flux and an active layer with high water permeability and solute rejection from both solutions at the same time, and a novel draw solution which provides low solute flux, high water flux, and easy regeneration. This work reviews the fundamentals controlling the FO process performance such as the role of the active layer and substrate and advances in the modification of FO membranes utilizing nanomaterials. Then, other aspects that affect the performance of FO are further summarized, including types of draw solutions and the role of operating conditions. Finally, challenges associated with the FO process, such as concentration polarization (CP), membrane fouling, and reverse solute diffusion (RSD) were analyzed by defining their causes and how to mitigate them. Moreover, factors affecting the energy consumption of the FO system were discussed and compared with reverse osmosis (RO). This review will provide in-depth details about FO technology, the issues it faces, and potential solutions to those issues to help the scientific researcher facilitate a full understanding of FO technology.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0375/13/4/379forward osmosisFO applicationthin film composite membranethin film nanocomposite membranenanoparticlesdraw solution |
| spellingShingle | Bakr M. Ibraheem Saif Al Aani Alanood A. Alsarayreh Qusay F. Alsalhy Issam K. Salih Forward Osmosis Membrane: Review of Fabrication, Modification, Challenges and Potential Membranes forward osmosis FO application thin film composite membrane thin film nanocomposite membrane nanoparticles draw solution |
| title | Forward Osmosis Membrane: Review of Fabrication, Modification, Challenges and Potential |
| title_full | Forward Osmosis Membrane: Review of Fabrication, Modification, Challenges and Potential |
| title_fullStr | Forward Osmosis Membrane: Review of Fabrication, Modification, Challenges and Potential |
| title_full_unstemmed | Forward Osmosis Membrane: Review of Fabrication, Modification, Challenges and Potential |
| title_short | Forward Osmosis Membrane: Review of Fabrication, Modification, Challenges and Potential |
| title_sort | forward osmosis membrane review of fabrication modification challenges and potential |
| topic | forward osmosis FO application thin film composite membrane thin film nanocomposite membrane nanoparticles draw solution |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0375/13/4/379 |
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