Porous organic polymer embedded thin-film nanocomposite membranes for enhanced nanofiltration performance
In this study, hierarchical o-hydroxyazo porous organic polymers (o-POPs) and piperazine (PIP) monomers were incorporated into the casting solution, followed by phase inversion to prepare PIP-containing polymeric substrates. The o-POPs modified thin film nanocomposite (TFN) membranes were fabricated by interfacial polymerization (IP) with trimesoyl chloride (TMC). The incorporated o-POPs could locally enrich PIP in substrates and impede its diffusion towards the organic interface during IP reaction through hydrogen bonding and physical obstruction, leading to the formation of a crumpled membrane surface. The enhancement of surface roughness and hydrophilicity endowed the TFN membranes with a signally elevated water permeance while maintaining a comparable solute rejection. The optimal TFN membrane with the o-POP content of 0.3 wt% displayed a remarkable water permeance of 29.6 L m−2 h−1 bar−1, a high Na2SO4 rejection of 94.9%, and an efficient removal of reactive dyes (e.g., reactive black 5 and reactive orange 16,>98.2%), which makes o-POP functionalized TFN membranes competitive for NF applications in water treatment.Graphical abstract
Source: Journal of Membrane Science - Category: Materials Science Source Type: research