Improving the Structural Parameter of the Membrane Sublayer for Enhanced Forward Osmosis
The structural (<i>S</i>) parameter of a medium is used to represent the mass transport resistance of an asymmetric membrane. In this study, we aimed to fabricate a membrane sublayer using a novel composition to improve the <i>S</i> parameter for enhanced forward osmosis (FO)...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-06-01
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| Series: | Membranes |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0375/11/6/448 |
| _version_ | 1797530090102325248 |
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| author | Jin Fei Sark Nora Jullok Woei Jye Lau |
| author_facet | Jin Fei Sark Nora Jullok Woei Jye Lau |
| author_sort | Jin Fei Sark |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The structural (<i>S</i>) parameter of a medium is used to represent the mass transport resistance of an asymmetric membrane. In this study, we aimed to fabricate a membrane sublayer using a novel composition to improve the <i>S</i> parameter for enhanced forward osmosis (FO). Thin film composite (TFC) membranes using polyamide (PA) as an active layer and different polysulfone:polyethersulfone (PSf:PES) supports as sublayers were prepared via the phase inversion technique, followed by interfacial polymerization. The membrane made with a PSf:PES ratio of 2:3 was observed to have the lowest contact angle (CA) with the highest overall porosity. It also had the highest water permeability (<i>A</i>; 3.79 ± 1.06 L m<sup>−2</sup> h<sup>−1</sup> bar<sup>−1</sup>) and salt permeability (<i>B</i>; 8.42 ± 2.34 g m<sup>−2</sup> h<sup>−1</sup>), as well as a good NaCl rejection rate of 74%. An increase in porosity at elevated temperatures from 30 to 40 °C decreased <i>S<sub>int</sub></i> from 184 ± 4 to 159 ± 2 μm. At elevated temperatures, significant increases in the water flux from 13.81 to 42.86 L m<sup>−2</sup> h<sup>−1</sup> and reverse salt flux (RSF) from 12.74 to 460 g m<sup>−2</sup> h<sup>−1</sup> occur, reducing <i>S<sub>eff</sub></i> from 152 ± 26 to 120 ± 14 μm. <i>S<sub>int</sub></i> is a temperature-dependent parameter, whereas <i>S<sub>eff</sub></i> can only be reduced in a high-water- permeability membrane at elevated temperatures. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:23:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fbac084e7d744900973a7831edcb3c2e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0375 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:23:00Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Membranes |
| spelling | doaj.art-fbac084e7d744900973a7831edcb3c2e2023-11-22T00:16:53ZengMDPI AGMembranes2077-03752021-06-0111644810.3390/membranes11060448Improving the Structural Parameter of the Membrane Sublayer for Enhanced Forward OsmosisJin Fei Sark0Nora Jullok1Woei Jye Lau2Faculty of Chemical Engineering Technology, Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Kompleks Pusat Pengajian Jejawi 3, Arau 02600, Perlis, MalaysiaFaculty of Chemical Engineering Technology, Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Kompleks Pusat Pengajian Jejawi 3, Arau 02600, Perlis, MalaysiaAdvanced Membrane Technology Research Centre, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai 81310, Johor, MalaysiaThe structural (<i>S</i>) parameter of a medium is used to represent the mass transport resistance of an asymmetric membrane. In this study, we aimed to fabricate a membrane sublayer using a novel composition to improve the <i>S</i> parameter for enhanced forward osmosis (FO). Thin film composite (TFC) membranes using polyamide (PA) as an active layer and different polysulfone:polyethersulfone (PSf:PES) supports as sublayers were prepared via the phase inversion technique, followed by interfacial polymerization. The membrane made with a PSf:PES ratio of 2:3 was observed to have the lowest contact angle (CA) with the highest overall porosity. It also had the highest water permeability (<i>A</i>; 3.79 ± 1.06 L m<sup>−2</sup> h<sup>−1</sup> bar<sup>−1</sup>) and salt permeability (<i>B</i>; 8.42 ± 2.34 g m<sup>−2</sup> h<sup>−1</sup>), as well as a good NaCl rejection rate of 74%. An increase in porosity at elevated temperatures from 30 to 40 °C decreased <i>S<sub>int</sub></i> from 184 ± 4 to 159 ± 2 μm. At elevated temperatures, significant increases in the water flux from 13.81 to 42.86 L m<sup>−2</sup> h<sup>−1</sup> and reverse salt flux (RSF) from 12.74 to 460 g m<sup>−2</sup> h<sup>−1</sup> occur, reducing <i>S<sub>eff</sub></i> from 152 ± 26 to 120 ± 14 μm. <i>S<sub>int</sub></i> is a temperature-dependent parameter, whereas <i>S<sub>eff</sub></i> can only be reduced in a high-water- permeability membrane at elevated temperatures.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0375/11/6/448structural parameterforward osmosiscomposite membranesublayer |
| spellingShingle | Jin Fei Sark Nora Jullok Woei Jye Lau Improving the Structural Parameter of the Membrane Sublayer for Enhanced Forward Osmosis Membranes structural parameter forward osmosis composite membrane sublayer |
| title | Improving the Structural Parameter of the Membrane Sublayer for Enhanced Forward Osmosis |
| title_full | Improving the Structural Parameter of the Membrane Sublayer for Enhanced Forward Osmosis |
| title_fullStr | Improving the Structural Parameter of the Membrane Sublayer for Enhanced Forward Osmosis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Improving the Structural Parameter of the Membrane Sublayer for Enhanced Forward Osmosis |
| title_short | Improving the Structural Parameter of the Membrane Sublayer for Enhanced Forward Osmosis |
| title_sort | improving the structural parameter of the membrane sublayer for enhanced forward osmosis |
| topic | structural parameter forward osmosis composite membrane sublayer |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0375/11/6/448 |
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