Thin-film nanocomposite forward osmosis membrane for water desalination: synthesis, characterization and performance improvement
The major scope of this study is the fabrication and development of a substrate and polyamide rejection layer for an efficient thin-film hydrophilic composite forward osmosis (TFC-FO) membrane. Fabrication of a thin-film nanocomposite forward osmosis membrane employing interfacial polymerization and...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IWA Publishing
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Water Quality Research Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://wqrjc.iwaponline.com/content/57/2/72 |
| _version_ | 1797200690409373696 |
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| author | A. H. Konsowa H. Z. AbdAllah Shaaban Nosier M. G. Eloffy |
| author_facet | A. H. Konsowa H. Z. AbdAllah Shaaban Nosier M. G. Eloffy |
| author_sort | A. H. Konsowa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The major scope of this study is the fabrication and development of a substrate and polyamide rejection layer for an efficient thin-film hydrophilic composite forward osmosis (TFC-FO) membrane. Fabrication of a thin-film nanocomposite forward osmosis membrane employing interfacial polymerization and modification of substrate characteristics using titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles as additives (TFNC-FO) are studied. Characterizations of the prepared TFC-FO and TFNC-FO membranes were determined. The morphologies of cross-section, upper and bottom surfaces for the TFC-FO and TFNC-FO membranes were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy was used to examine the compositions of different elements for both membranes. The hydrophilicity of the prepared TFC-FO and TFNC-FO membranes was investigated using the measurement of the contact angle test. A Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectrophotometer was used to observe the existing functional groups of the TFC-FO and TFNC-FO membranes. The thermal stability of the membrane was evaluated via thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The overall performance of TFC-FO membranes was evaluated with and without adding TiO2 nanoparticles through different parameters, such as membrane flux, initial feed concentration, draw solution concentrations, reverse solute fluxes, membrane permeabilities, and finally, the effect of FO membrane orientations. FO membrane performance was successfully enhanced by adding different concentrations of TiO2 nanoparticles from 0.5 to 1.5 wt%. The findings indicated that an increase in the concentration from 0.5 to 1 wt% leads to a clear increase in both the porosity and hydrophilicity of the nanocomposite substrate and consequently, an increase in the water flux. However, further increasing the concentration of TiO2 nanoparticles to more than 1 wt% affects the membrane performance. HIGHLIGHTS
Preparation of a TFNC-FO membrane.;
Incorporating TiO2 nanoparticles into polysulfone membrane matrix.;
Evaluation of FO performance.;
FO membrane permeability.;
Characterization of the synthetic FO membranes.; |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T07:35:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ceb35c1c818c4110b49e87b543eb8019 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2709-8044 2709-8052 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T07:35:39Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | IWA Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Water Quality Research Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-ceb35c1c818c4110b49e87b543eb80192024-04-20T07:15:22ZengIWA PublishingWater Quality Research Journal2709-80442709-80522022-05-01572729010.2166/wqrj.2022.034034Thin-film nanocomposite forward osmosis membrane for water desalination: synthesis, characterization and performance improvementA. H. Konsowa0H. Z. AbdAllah1Shaaban Nosier2M. G. Eloffy3 Chemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt Chemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt Chemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Cairo, Egypt The major scope of this study is the fabrication and development of a substrate and polyamide rejection layer for an efficient thin-film hydrophilic composite forward osmosis (TFC-FO) membrane. Fabrication of a thin-film nanocomposite forward osmosis membrane employing interfacial polymerization and modification of substrate characteristics using titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles as additives (TFNC-FO) are studied. Characterizations of the prepared TFC-FO and TFNC-FO membranes were determined. The morphologies of cross-section, upper and bottom surfaces for the TFC-FO and TFNC-FO membranes were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy was used to examine the compositions of different elements for both membranes. The hydrophilicity of the prepared TFC-FO and TFNC-FO membranes was investigated using the measurement of the contact angle test. A Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectrophotometer was used to observe the existing functional groups of the TFC-FO and TFNC-FO membranes. The thermal stability of the membrane was evaluated via thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The overall performance of TFC-FO membranes was evaluated with and without adding TiO2 nanoparticles through different parameters, such as membrane flux, initial feed concentration, draw solution concentrations, reverse solute fluxes, membrane permeabilities, and finally, the effect of FO membrane orientations. FO membrane performance was successfully enhanced by adding different concentrations of TiO2 nanoparticles from 0.5 to 1.5 wt%. The findings indicated that an increase in the concentration from 0.5 to 1 wt% leads to a clear increase in both the porosity and hydrophilicity of the nanocomposite substrate and consequently, an increase in the water flux. However, further increasing the concentration of TiO2 nanoparticles to more than 1 wt% affects the membrane performance. HIGHLIGHTS Preparation of a TFNC-FO membrane.; Incorporating TiO2 nanoparticles into polysulfone membrane matrix.; Evaluation of FO performance.; FO membrane permeability.; Characterization of the synthetic FO membranes.;http://wqrjc.iwaponline.com/content/57/2/72desalinationdraw solutionforward osmosisthin-film composite membranetitanium dioxide nanoparticle |
| spellingShingle | A. H. Konsowa H. Z. AbdAllah Shaaban Nosier M. G. Eloffy Thin-film nanocomposite forward osmosis membrane for water desalination: synthesis, characterization and performance improvement Water Quality Research Journal desalination draw solution forward osmosis thin-film composite membrane titanium dioxide nanoparticle |
| title | Thin-film nanocomposite forward osmosis membrane for water desalination: synthesis, characterization and performance improvement |
| title_full | Thin-film nanocomposite forward osmosis membrane for water desalination: synthesis, characterization and performance improvement |
| title_fullStr | Thin-film nanocomposite forward osmosis membrane for water desalination: synthesis, characterization and performance improvement |
| title_full_unstemmed | Thin-film nanocomposite forward osmosis membrane for water desalination: synthesis, characterization and performance improvement |
| title_short | Thin-film nanocomposite forward osmosis membrane for water desalination: synthesis, characterization and performance improvement |
| title_sort | thin film nanocomposite forward osmosis membrane for water desalination synthesis characterization and performance improvement |
| topic | desalination draw solution forward osmosis thin-film composite membrane titanium dioxide nanoparticle |
| url | http://wqrjc.iwaponline.com/content/57/2/72 |
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