TY - JOUR
T1 - Improvement of Permeability and Antifouling Properties of Polyamide Thin-Film Nanocomposite Nanofiltration Membranes Using Boron Nitride Quantum Dots
AU - Vatanpour, Vahid
AU - Mehrabi, Mohammad
AU - Masteri-Farahani, Majid
AU - Amiri, Saba
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 American Chemical Society
PY - 2024/3/27
Y1 - 2024/3/27
N2 - Nanofiltration membranes play a crucial role in various separation processes, demanding continuous advancements to improve their performance and address challenges such as fouling. In this study, we present the fabrication and characterization of a high-flux thin-film composite nanofiltration membrane (TFC NF) through the incorporation of hydrophilic boron nitride quantum dots (BNQDs) at various concentrations (0.001-0.02 wt %). The membranes were synthesized by using interfacial polymerization between piperazine and trimesoyl chloride monomers. Surface analyses, including contact angle measurements, field emission-scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy, revealed that the membranes with incorporated BNQDs exhibited a smoother, more uniform, thinner, and more hydrophilic surface. Zeta potential measurements confirmed an increase in the negative surface charge of the NF membranes containing BNQDs. The separation efficiency was evaluated through a cross-flow filtration setup, with the TFC NF membrane containing 0.01 wt % BNQDs demonstrating the highest separation efficiency: 96.56% for Na2SO4, 96.48% for MgSO4, 91.3% for MgCl2, and 51.38% for NaCl, coupled with a water flux of 150.5 L/m2 h. Furthermore, water flux was enhanced in all modified membranes, reaching a maximum of 170% of the bare membrane flux (195.5 L/m2 h) in the TFC NF membrane containing 0.02 wt % BNQDs. However, with the increased flux in the TFC NF 0.02 wt % membrane, rejection rates for Na2SO4 and NaCl decreased by 1.84 and 7.15%, respectively, compared to the TFC NF 0.01 wt % membrane. Antifouling properties were evaluated by filtration of a bovine serum albumin /NaCl solution, with all modified membranes exhibiting improved antifouling properties. The TFC NF 0.02 wt % membrane demonstrated superior antifouling performance.
AB - Nanofiltration membranes play a crucial role in various separation processes, demanding continuous advancements to improve their performance and address challenges such as fouling. In this study, we present the fabrication and characterization of a high-flux thin-film composite nanofiltration membrane (TFC NF) through the incorporation of hydrophilic boron nitride quantum dots (BNQDs) at various concentrations (0.001-0.02 wt %). The membranes were synthesized by using interfacial polymerization between piperazine and trimesoyl chloride monomers. Surface analyses, including contact angle measurements, field emission-scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy, revealed that the membranes with incorporated BNQDs exhibited a smoother, more uniform, thinner, and more hydrophilic surface. Zeta potential measurements confirmed an increase in the negative surface charge of the NF membranes containing BNQDs. The separation efficiency was evaluated through a cross-flow filtration setup, with the TFC NF membrane containing 0.01 wt % BNQDs demonstrating the highest separation efficiency: 96.56% for Na2SO4, 96.48% for MgSO4, 91.3% for MgCl2, and 51.38% for NaCl, coupled with a water flux of 150.5 L/m2 h. Furthermore, water flux was enhanced in all modified membranes, reaching a maximum of 170% of the bare membrane flux (195.5 L/m2 h) in the TFC NF membrane containing 0.02 wt % BNQDs. However, with the increased flux in the TFC NF 0.02 wt % membrane, rejection rates for Na2SO4 and NaCl decreased by 1.84 and 7.15%, respectively, compared to the TFC NF 0.01 wt % membrane. Antifouling properties were evaluated by filtration of a bovine serum albumin /NaCl solution, with all modified membranes exhibiting improved antifouling properties. The TFC NF 0.02 wt % membrane demonstrated superior antifouling performance.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85188067993&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1021/acs.iecr.3c03702
DO - 10.1021/acs.iecr.3c03702
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85188067993
SN - 0888-5885
VL - 63
SP - 5237
EP - 5248
JO - Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research
JF - Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research
IS - 12
ER -