PVDF Composite Membranes with Hydrophobically-Capped CuONPs for Direct-Contact Membrane Distillation
Water scarcity is an imminent problem that humanity is beginning to attempt to solve. Among the several technologies that have been developed to mitigate water scarcity, membrane distillation is of particular note. In the present work, CuO nanoparticles capped with 1-octanethiol (CuONPs@CH) or 1H,1H...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2021-06-01
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| Series: | Nanomaterials |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/11/6/1497 |
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| author | César Saldías Claudio A. Terraza Angel Leiva Joachim Koschikowski Daniel Winter Alain Tundidor-Camba Rudy Martin-Trasanco |
| author_facet | César Saldías Claudio A. Terraza Angel Leiva Joachim Koschikowski Daniel Winter Alain Tundidor-Camba Rudy Martin-Trasanco |
| author_sort | César Saldías |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Water scarcity is an imminent problem that humanity is beginning to attempt to solve. Among the several technologies that have been developed to mitigate water scarcity, membrane distillation is of particular note. In the present work, CuO nanoparticles capped with 1-octanethiol (CuONPs@CH) or 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecanethiol (CuONPs@CF) are prepared. The nanoparticles are characterized by FT-IR and TGA methods. Two weight losses are observed in both cases, with the decomposition of the organic fragments beginning at 158 °C and 230 °C for CuONPs@CF and CuONPs@CH, respectively. Flat sheet PVDF composite membranes containing nanoparticles are prepared by the casting solution method using nanoparticle concentrations that ranged between 2–20% with a non-woven polyester fabric as support. The obtained membranes showed a thickness of 240 ± 40 μm. According to water contact angle (87° for CuONPs@CH and 95° for CuONPs@CF, both at 10% w.t) and roughness (12 pixel for CuONPs@CH and 14 pixels for CuONPs@CF, both at 10% w.t) determinations, the hydrophobicity of membranes changed due to a decrease in surface energy, while, for naked CuONPs, the roughness factor represents the main role. Membranes prepared with capped nanoparticles showed similar porosity (60–64%). SEM micrographs show asymmetric porous membranes with a 200-nm surface pore diameter. The largest finger-like pores in the membranes prepared with CuONPs, CuONPs@CH and CuONPs@CF had values of 63 ± 10 μm, 32 ± 8 μm, and 45 ± 10 μm, respectively. These membranes were submitted to a direct contact membrane distillation module and flux values of 1.8, 2.7, and 3.9 kg(m<sup>2</sup>·h)<sup>−1</sup> at ΔT = 30 °C were obtained for the CuONPs, CuONPs@CH, and CuONPs@CF, respectively. The membranes showed 100% salt rejection during the testing time (240 min). |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:42:29Z |
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| id | doaj.art-edd70ab132994c3fb2a24d9d73ea0e31 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-4991 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:42:29Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
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| series | Nanomaterials |
| spelling | doaj.art-edd70ab132994c3fb2a24d9d73ea0e312023-11-21T22:54:54ZengMDPI AGNanomaterials2079-49912021-06-01116149710.3390/nano11061497PVDF Composite Membranes with Hydrophobically-Capped CuONPs for Direct-Contact Membrane DistillationCésar Saldías0Claudio A. Terraza1Angel Leiva2Joachim Koschikowski3Daniel Winter4Alain Tundidor-Camba5Rudy Martin-Trasanco6Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and of Pharmacy, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, P.O. Box 306, Post 22, Santiago 7820436, ChileResearch Laboratory for Organic Polymers (RLOP), Faculty of Chemistry and of Pharmacy, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, P.O. Box 306, Post 22, Santiago 7820436, ChileDepartment of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and of Pharmacy, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, P.O. Box 306, Post 22, Santiago 7820436, ChileFraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE), 79110 Freiburg, GermanyFraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE), 79110 Freiburg, GermanyResearch Laboratory for Organic Polymers (RLOP), Faculty of Chemistry and of Pharmacy, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, P.O. Box 306, Post 22, Santiago 7820436, ChileDepartamento de Química, Universidad Tecnológica Metropolitana, Las Palmeras 3360, Santiago 8940577, ChileWater scarcity is an imminent problem that humanity is beginning to attempt to solve. Among the several technologies that have been developed to mitigate water scarcity, membrane distillation is of particular note. In the present work, CuO nanoparticles capped with 1-octanethiol (CuONPs@CH) or 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecanethiol (CuONPs@CF) are prepared. The nanoparticles are characterized by FT-IR and TGA methods. Two weight losses are observed in both cases, with the decomposition of the organic fragments beginning at 158 °C and 230 °C for CuONPs@CF and CuONPs@CH, respectively. Flat sheet PVDF composite membranes containing nanoparticles are prepared by the casting solution method using nanoparticle concentrations that ranged between 2–20% with a non-woven polyester fabric as support. The obtained membranes showed a thickness of 240 ± 40 μm. According to water contact angle (87° for CuONPs@CH and 95° for CuONPs@CF, both at 10% w.t) and roughness (12 pixel for CuONPs@CH and 14 pixels for CuONPs@CF, both at 10% w.t) determinations, the hydrophobicity of membranes changed due to a decrease in surface energy, while, for naked CuONPs, the roughness factor represents the main role. Membranes prepared with capped nanoparticles showed similar porosity (60–64%). SEM micrographs show asymmetric porous membranes with a 200-nm surface pore diameter. The largest finger-like pores in the membranes prepared with CuONPs, CuONPs@CH and CuONPs@CF had values of 63 ± 10 μm, 32 ± 8 μm, and 45 ± 10 μm, respectively. These membranes were submitted to a direct contact membrane distillation module and flux values of 1.8, 2.7, and 3.9 kg(m<sup>2</sup>·h)<sup>−1</sup> at ΔT = 30 °C were obtained for the CuONPs, CuONPs@CH, and CuONPs@CF, respectively. The membranes showed 100% salt rejection during the testing time (240 min).https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/11/6/1497composite membraneshydrophobically-capped CuONPsmembrane distillationfluorinated alkylthiol capping agents |
| spellingShingle | César Saldías Claudio A. Terraza Angel Leiva Joachim Koschikowski Daniel Winter Alain Tundidor-Camba Rudy Martin-Trasanco PVDF Composite Membranes with Hydrophobically-Capped CuONPs for Direct-Contact Membrane Distillation Nanomaterials composite membranes hydrophobically-capped CuONPs membrane distillation fluorinated alkylthiol capping agents |
| title | PVDF Composite Membranes with Hydrophobically-Capped CuONPs for Direct-Contact Membrane Distillation |
| title_full | PVDF Composite Membranes with Hydrophobically-Capped CuONPs for Direct-Contact Membrane Distillation |
| title_fullStr | PVDF Composite Membranes with Hydrophobically-Capped CuONPs for Direct-Contact Membrane Distillation |
| title_full_unstemmed | PVDF Composite Membranes with Hydrophobically-Capped CuONPs for Direct-Contact Membrane Distillation |
| title_short | PVDF Composite Membranes with Hydrophobically-Capped CuONPs for Direct-Contact Membrane Distillation |
| title_sort | pvdf composite membranes with hydrophobically capped cuonps for direct contact membrane distillation |
| topic | composite membranes hydrophobically-capped CuONPs membrane distillation fluorinated alkylthiol capping agents |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/11/6/1497 |
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