(401n) Filling of Clay Nanoparticles into Thin Film Nanocomposite Membranes to Improve Their Efficiency Toward Brackish Water Desalination

Clay nanoparticles, ≥ 50nm, were successfully prepared by solvothermal method and filled into thin film nanocomposite (TFN) membranes used in reverse osmosis application. Membranes were prepared by the interfacial polymerization (IP) of m-phenylenediamine (MPD) aqueous solution and trimesoyl chloride (TMC) isooctane solution [1] on a porous layer of polysulfone (PSU). Different percentages, 0.01, 0.02, 0.05, 0.07, 0.1, and 0.15, of the NPs were filled into the membranes and an improvement in terms of performance was recorded. Different techniques were employed to characterize the NPs and membranes properties to give better understanding on observations. At the optimum addition, 0.15%, NaCl rejection and water flux increased from 96.25% and 45.6 L/m² hr to 97.45% and 59.0 L/m² hr, respectively, in operational conditions of 2000 ppm NaCl, 300 psi, and 25 °C.

References

1- Mohammed Kadhom, Jun Yin, Baolin Deng, “A Thin Film Nanocomposite Membrane with MCM-41 Silica Nanoparticles for Brackish Water Purification”, Membranes, 6, 50, (2016) 1-12.