Novel polyethyleneimine/TMC-based nanofiltration membrane prepared on a polydopamine coated substrate

doi:10.1007/s11705-017-1695-2

Front. Chem. Sci. Eng.

2018, Vol. 12

Issue (2) : 273-282 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11705-017-1695-2

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Novel polyethyleneimine/TMC-based nanofiltration membrane prepared on a polydopamine coated substrate

Zhe Yang, Xiaoyu Huang, Jianqiang Wang, Chuyang Y. Tang(

)

Department of Civil Engineering, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

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Abstract

Most commercial NF membranes are negatively charged at the pH range of a typical feed solution. In order to enhance the removal of cations (such as Mg²⁺ or Ca²⁺), we utilized polyethyleneimine (PEI) and trimesoyl chloride (TMC) to perform interfacial polymerization reaction on a polydopamine coated hydrolyzed polyacrylonitrile substrate to obtain a positively charged nanofiltration membrane. Effects of polydopamine coating time, PEI concentration, TMC reaction time and concentration on the membrane physicochemical properties and separation performance were systematically investigated using scanning electron microscopy, streaming potential and water contact angle measurements. The optimal NF membrane showed high rejection for divalent ions (93.6±2.6% for MgSO₄, 92.4±1.3% for MgCl₂, and 90.4±2.1% for Na₂SO₄), accompanied with NaCl rejection of 27.8±2.5% with a permeation flux of 17.2±2.8 L·m⁻²·h⁻¹ at an applied pressure of 8 bar (salt concentrations were all 1000 mg·L⁻¹). The synthesized membranes showed promising potentials for the applications of water softening.

Keywords nanofiltration polyethyleneimine trimesoyl chloride polydopamine positively charged rejection layer

Corresponding Author(s): Chuyang Y. Tang

Just Accepted Date: 30 October 2017 Online First Date: 26 December 2017 Issue Date: 09 May 2018

Cite this article:

Zhe Yang,Xiaoyu Huang,Jianqiang Wang, et al. Novel polyethyleneimine/TMC-based nanofiltration membrane prepared on a polydopamine coated substrate[J]. Front. Chem. Sci. Eng., 2018, 12(2): 273-282.

URL:

https://academic.hep.com.cn/fcse/EN/10.1007/s11705-017-1695-2
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fcse/EN/Y2018/V12/I2/273

Fig.1 A schematic diagram showing the synthesis of hPAN/PDA-NF membrane. A PAN substrate was first hydrolyzed and then coated with polydopamine layer, followed by interfacial polymerization of PEI and TMC to form the final NF membrane

Fig.2 SEM micrographs (plan view) of (a) hPAN substrate, (b) PDA coated hPAN substrate (coating time 2 h), (c) PEI treated hPAN/PDA substrate (PEI concentration of 2 g·L^?¹) and (d) hPAN/PDA-NF membrane (TMC concentration of 0.15 wt-%, reaction time of 5 min)

Fig.3 Water contact angle of PAN, hPAN, hPAN/PDA (PDA coating time 2 h), hPAN/PDA-PEI (PEI concentration of 2 g·L^?¹), and hPAN/PDA-NF membranes (TMC concentration 0.15 wt-%, reaction time 5 min)

Fig.4 Effects of (a) PDA coating time (PEI concentratoin, (b) PEI concentration, (c) TMC reaction time and (d) TMC concentration on the surface hydrophilicity of the TFC NF membranes

Fig.5 Effect of PEI concentration on the zeta potential of the hPAN/PDA-NF membranes (PDA coating time 2 h, TMC concentration 0.15 wt-%, reaction time 5 min)

Fig.6 Effect of PDA coating time on the transport behavior of the hPAN/PDA-NF membranes (PDA coating time 2 h, PEI concentration 2 g·L^?¹, TMC concentration 0.15 wt-% and TMC reaction time 5 min) at 8 bar and 1000 mg·L^?¹ salt concentration

Fig.7 Effect of PEI concentration on the transport behavior of the hPAN/PDA-NF membranes (PDA coating time 2 h, TMC concentration 0.15 wt-% and TMC reaction time 5 min) at 8 bars and 1000 mg·L^?¹ salt concentration

Fig.8 Effect of TMC reaction time on the transport behavior of the hPAN/PDA-NF membranes (PDA coating time 2 h, PEI concentration 2 g·L^?1 TMC concentration 0.15 wt-%) at 8 bars and 1000 mg·L^?1 salt concentration

Fig.9 Effect of TMC concentration on the transport behavior of the hPAN/PDA-NF membranes (PDA coating time 2 h, PEI concentration 2 g·L^?¹ TMC contacting time 5 min) at 8 bars and 1000 mg·L^?¹ salt concentration

Fig.10 Membrane stability test by immersing in absolute alchohol solution of hPAN-NF and hPAN/PDA-NF memrbanes (PDA coating time 2 h, PEI concentration 2 g·L^?¹, TMC contacting time 5 min and TMC concentration 0.15 wt-%) at 8 bars and 1000 mg·L^?¹ salt concentration

Fig.11 Schematic diagrams of (a) PEI networks and (b) the interaction between TMC and PEI

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