(727d) Enhanced Biocidal and Antifouling Properties of Thin Film Composite Membranes Via Active Layer Modification with Polyrhodanine Nanoparticles

The demand for fresh water has been increasing and is expected to rise continuously for the foreseeable future. A freshwater scarcity can negatively affect the dynamics of ecosystems¹, food security², and so on. Forward osmosis (FO) is a high-water-recovery and low-cost membrane-based technology that has potential applications in desalination and wastewater treatment^3-5. However, the lack of FO membranes with effective anti-fouling and antibacterial properties is still a challenge³. The incorporation of hydrophilic and antimicrobial nanomaterials into the active layers of membranes has been found to be a promising strategy to improve anti-fouling and anti-biofouling properties of nanocomposite membranes⁶.

In this work, polyrhodanine (PRh) nanoparticles are synthesized via oxidization polymerization and incorporated into the active layers of thin film composite (TFC) membranes. High compatibility of the PRh with polyamide (PA) chains is corroborated using several analysis methods and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. TFC-PRh membrane containing 0.01 wt% PRh displays enhanced water flux and sieving ability when tested in a FO process. Compared to the pristine TFC, smoother and more hydrophilic surfaces of TFC-PRh membranes provide more fouling resistance against a sodium alginate solution. Furthermore, outstanding biocidal activity of the TFC-PRh-0.01 membrane decreases bacteria adhesion hindering biofilm formation and leading to an enhancement in membrane anti-biofouling properties.

Keywords: Polyrhodanine, Thin-Film Composite Membrane, Forward Osmosis, Antimicrobial, Antifouling

References:

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