scholarly journals Desalination by Membrane Distillation Using Electrospun Membranes

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-42
Author(s):  
Mustafa Hussein Al-Furaiji ◽  
Khairi R Kalash
Keyword(s):  
Polyvinylidene Fluoride ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Water Flux ◽  
Feed Solution ◽  
High Water ◽  
Membrane Distillation ◽  
Electrospinning Process ◽  
Nanofiber Membrane ◽  
Electrospun Membranes ◽  
Highly Porous

Electrospinning is a novel technique that can be used to produce highly porous fibers with highly tunable properties. In this research, this technique is adopted to prepare the electrospun nanofiber membrane for membrane distillation application. A custom-built electrospinning setup was made to prepare the nanofibers membrane. Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) polymer was used in the electrospinning process due to its high hydrophobicity. Electrospun (PVDF) nanofibers were tested in direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) process using 0.6 M sodium chloride as a feed solution. The resulting nanofiber membrane exhibited high performance in DCMD (i.e. relatively high water flux and high salt rejection). It has been found that the prepared membrane has a uniform and fibrous structure as indicated by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Relatively thin fibers with a diameter of 250 nm were produced during the Electrospinning process.

scholarly journals Triple-Layer Nanofiber Membranes for Treating High Salinity Brines Using Direct Contact Membrane Distillation

Membranes ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mustafa Al-Furaiji ◽  
Jason T. Arena ◽  
Jian Ren ◽  
Nieck Benes ◽  
Arian Nijmeijer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Direct Contact ◽  
Polyvinylidene Fluoride ◽  
Water Flux ◽  
Feed Solution ◽  
High Water ◽  
Membrane Distillation ◽  
Pvdf Membrane ◽  
Direct Contact Membrane Distillation ◽  
Triple Layer ◽  
Layer Membrane

A composite, three-layered membrane for membrane distillation was prepared from electrospun polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) nanofibers supported by commercial polyethersulfone (PES) nanofiber based nonwoven from E.I. duPont de Nemours company (DuPont). The membranes were tested in direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) using a 5.0 M sodium chloride brine as a feed solution. The triple layer membrane combines the hydrophobicity of PVDF and the robustness of the PES. The triple layer membrane demonstrated excellent performance in DCMD (i.e., relatively high water flux compared to the commercial PVDF membrane and a complete salt rejection of the brine) with mechanical properties imparted by the PES layer. This work is the first to demonstrate the use of a commercially produced nanofiber nonwoven for membrane distillation.

scholarly journals Exploiting the Interplay between Liquid-Liquid Demixing and Crystallization of the PVDF Membrane for Membrane Distillation

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. I. M. Nawi ◽  
M. R. Bilad ◽  
N. A. H. M. Nordin ◽  
M. O. Mavukkandy ◽  
Z. A. Putra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Polyvinylidene Fluoride ◽  
Water Flux ◽  
High Water ◽  
Membrane Distillation ◽  
Degree Of Crystallinity ◽  
Solution Temperature ◽  
Hydrophobic Membrane ◽  
Sem Images ◽  
Cold Temperatures ◽  
Dope Solution

Membrane distillation (MD) purifies water by transporting its vapor through a hydrophobic membrane. An ideal MD membrane poses high water flux and high fouling, scaling, and wetting resistances. In this study, we develop polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes for MD by focusing on reduction of PVDF degree of crystallinity. We explore the roles of dope solution temperature in dictating the phase separation mechanisms as well as the structure and the performance of semicrystalline PVDF membranes. DSC spectra show that higher dope solution temperature depresses crystallinity via formation of imperfect crystal. Such findings were also supported by FTIR and XRD results. The SEM images reveal formation of spherulite-like morphology in the membrane matrices for membranes prepared from high temperature dope solutions. A good balance between solid-liquid and liquid-liquid phase separations that offers low degree of crystallinity was found at a dope solution temperature of 60°C (PVDF-60), which showed the MD flux of 18 l/m2 h (vs. 6 l/m2 h for temperature of 25°C, as a benchmark) and nearly complete salt rejection when run at hot and cold temperatures of 65°C and 25°C, respectively. The PVDF-60 shows a high wetting resistance and stable MD flux of 10.5 l/m2 h over a 50 h test for treating brine solution as the feed (70 g NaCl/l).

scholarly journals Interplay of the Factors Affecting Water Flux and Salt Rejection in Membrane Distillation: A State-of-the-Art Critical Review

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 2841
Author(s):  
Lin Chen ◽  
Pei Xu ◽  
Huiyao Wang
Keyword(s):  
Water Flux ◽  
Feed Solution ◽  
Membrane Distillation ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Membrane Properties ◽  
Membrane Thickness ◽  
Membrane Pore ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Term Operation ◽  
Salt Rejection

High water flux and elevated rejection of salts and contaminants are two primary goals for membrane distillation (MD). It is imperative to study the factors affecting water flux and solute transport in MD, the fundamental mechanisms, and practical applications to improve system performance. In this review, we analyzed in-depth the effects of membrane characteristics (e.g., membrane pore size and distribution, porosity, tortuosity, membrane thickness, hydrophobicity, and liquid entry pressure), feed solution composition (e.g., salts, non-volatile and volatile organics, surfactants such as non-ionic and ionic types, trace organic compounds, natural organic matter, and viscosity), and operating conditions (e.g., temperature, flow velocity, and membrane degradation during long-term operation). Intrinsic interactions between the feed solution and the membrane due to hydrophobic interaction and/or electro-interaction (electro-repulsion and adsorption on membrane surface) were also discussed. The interplay among the factors was developed to qualitatively predict water flux and salt rejection considering feed solution, membrane properties, and operating conditions. This review provides a structured understanding of the intrinsic mechanisms of the factors affecting mass transport, heat transfer, and salt rejection in MD and the intra-relationship between these factors from a systematic perspective.

Dual layer hollow fiber PVDF ultra-filtration membranes containing Ag nano-particle loaded zeolite with longer term anti-bacterial capacity in salt water

2016 ◽  
Vol 73 (9) ◽  
pp. 2159-2167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huyan Shi ◽  
Lixin Xue ◽  
Ailin Gao ◽  
Qingbo Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Hollow Fiber ◽  
Polyvinylidene Fluoride ◽  
Sea Water ◽  
Hollow Fiber Membrane ◽  
Salt Water ◽  
Water Flux ◽  
Composite Membranes ◽  
High Water ◽  
Nano Particles ◽  
Ultra Filtration

Dual layer polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), antibacterial, hollow fiber, ultra-filtration composite membranes with antibacterial particles (silver (Ag) nano-particles loaded zeolite (Z-Ag)) in the outer layer were prepared with high water flux and desired pore sizes. The amounts of Ag+ released from the composite membranes, freshly made and stored in water and salt solution, were measured. The result indicated that dual layer PVDF antibacterial hollow fiber containing Z-Ag (M-1-Ag) still possessed the ability of continuous release of Ag+ even after exposure to water with high ionic content, showing a longer term resistance to bacterial adhesion and antibacterial activity than membrane doped with Z-Ag+ (M-1). Results from an anti-adhesion and bacteria killing test with Escherichia coli supported that the antibacterial efficiency of dual hollow fiber PVDF membranes with Z-Ag was much higher than those with Z-Ag+ after long time storage in water or exposure to phosphate buffered saline (PBS) solution. This novel hollow fiber membrane may find applications in constructing sea water pretreatment devices with long term antifouling capability for the desalination processes.

scholarly journals Effect of temperature and salt on PVDF membrane wetting properties

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kefan Jiang ◽  
◽  
Hooman Chamani ◽  
Takeshi Matsuura ◽  
Dipak Rana ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Contact Angle ◽  
Polyvinylidene Fluoride ◽  
Membrane Separation ◽  
Feed Solution ◽  
Membrane Distillation ◽  
Effect Of Temperature ◽  
Separation Processes ◽  
Water Contact ◽  
Pvdf Membrane ◽  
Wetting Properties

Membrane distillation (MD) is a thermally driven separation process. Despite many advantages over other membrane separation processes, pore wetting hampers the wide commercial applications of the MD process. In this paper, the effect of temperature and presence (or absence) of salt in the feed solution on the wetting properties of commercial polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane during a period of eight weeks was investigated. Liquid entry pressure (LEP) and water contact angle (WCA) were employed to characterize the wetting properties of the PVDF membrane. The result shows that the temperature has a significant impact on the decrease of the contact angle of the PVDF membrane.

scholarly journals Fabrication and Characterization of Nanofibers Membranes using Electrospinning Technology for Oil Removal

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 1338
Author(s):  
Amer Naji Al-Naemi ◽  
Mohammed Amer Abdul-Majeed ◽  
Mustafa H. Al-Furaiji ◽  
Inmar N Ghazi
Keyword(s):  
Polyvinylidene Fluoride ◽  
Membrane Surface ◽  
Water Flux ◽  
Oil Removal ◽  
Nanofiber Membrane ◽  
Pvdf Membrane ◽  
Electrospinning Method ◽  
Average Water ◽  
Graphene Membranes

Oily wastewater is one of the most challenging streams to deal with especially if the oil exists in emulsified form. In this study, electrospinning method was used to prepare nanofiberous polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes and study their performance in oil removal. Graphene particles were embedded in the electrospun PVDF membrane to enhance the efficiency of the membranes. The prepared membranes were characterized using a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to verify the graphene stabilization on the surface of the membrane homogeneously; while FTIR was used to detect the functional groups on the membrane surface. The membrane wettability was assessed by measuring the contact angle. The PVDF and PVDF / Graphene membranes efficiency was tested in separation of emulsified oil from aqueous solutions. The results showed that PVDF-Graphene nanofiber membrane exhibited better performance than the plain PVDF nanofiber membrane with average water flux of 210 and 180 L.m-2.h-1, respectively. Both membranes showed high oil rejection with more than 98%.

scholarly journals Removal and Recovery of Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) from Water Using Carbon Nanotube and Graphene Oxide Immobilized Membranes

Nanomaterials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 578
Author(s):  
Worawit Intrchom ◽  
Sagar Roy ◽  
Somenath Mitra
Keyword(s):  
Graphene Oxide ◽  
Carbon Nanotube ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Water Solubility ◽  
High Water ◽  
Membrane Distillation ◽  
Methyl Tert Butyl Ether ◽  
Transfer Coefficients ◽  
Butyl Ether ◽  
Tertiary Butyl

Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) is a widely used gasoline additive that has high water solubility, and is difficult to separate from contaminated ground and surface waters. We present the development in functionalized carbon nanotube-immobilized membranes (CNIM-f) and graphene oxide-immobilized membranes (GOIM) for enhanced separation of MTBE via sweep gas membrane distillation (SGMD). Both types of modified membranes demonstrated high performance in MTBE removal from its aqueous mixture. Among the membranes studied, CNIM-f provided the best performance in terms of flux, removal efficiency, mass transfer coefficients and overall selectivity. The immobilization f-CNTs and GO altered the surface characteristics of the membrane and enhanced partition coefficients, and thus assisted MTBE transport across the membrane. The MTBE flux reached as high as 1.4 kg/m2 h with f-CNTs, which was 22% higher than that of the unmodified PTFE membrane. The maximum MTBE removal using CNIM-f reached 56% at 0.5 wt % of the MTBE in water, and at a temperature of 30 °C. With selectivity as high as 60, MTBE recovery from contaminated water is very viable using these nanocarbon-immobilized membranes.

One-step nanotopography construction by polyaniline polymerization for a superhydrophobic nanofibrous membrane towards direct contact membrane distillation

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (8) ◽  
pp. 2553-2564 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lingling Zhong ◽  
Zhigao Zhu ◽  
Yu Han ◽  
Qiao Wang ◽  
Dongmei Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Direct Contact ◽  
Water Flux ◽  
High Water ◽  
Membrane Distillation ◽  
Nanofibrous Membrane ◽  
Direct Contact Membrane Distillation ◽  
One Step ◽  
Nanofibrous Membranes

In situ polymerization of aniline is used to prepare superhydrophobic PVDF nanofibrous membranes for direct contact membrane distillation with high water flux and long wetting times.

A novel bi-functional double-layer rGO–PVDF/PVDF composite nanofiber membrane separator with enhanced thermal stability and effective polysulfide inhibition for high-performance lithium–sulfur batteries

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (29) ◽  
pp. 15096-15104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pei Zhu ◽  
Jiadeng Zhu ◽  
Jun Zang ◽  
Chen Chen ◽  
Yao Lu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Double Layer ◽  
Polyvinylidene Fluoride ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Nanofiber Membrane ◽  
Electrospinning Technique ◽  
Pvdf Membrane ◽  
Reduced Graphene ◽  
Lithium Sulfur Batteries ◽  
Composite Nanofiber ◽  
Lithium Sulfur

A novel, bi-functional double-layer reduced graphene oxide (rGO)–polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)/PVDF membrane was fabricated by a simple electrospinning technique and was used as a promising separator for lithium–sulfur batteries.

scholarly journals Porous Hydrophobic–Hydrophilic Composite Hollow Fiber and Flat Membranes Prepared by Plasma Polymerization for Direct Contact Membrane Distillation

Membranes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashok K. Sharma ◽  
Adam Juelfs ◽  
Connor Colling ◽  
Saket Sharma ◽  
Stephen P. Conover ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hollow Fiber ◽  
Direct Contact ◽  
Plasma Polymerization ◽  
Polyvinylidene Fluoride ◽  
Hydrophobic Surface ◽  
Diffusion Path ◽  
High Water ◽  
Membrane Distillation ◽  
Vapor Flux ◽  
Direct Contact Membrane Distillation

High water vapor flux at low brine temperatures without surface fouling is needed in membrane distillation-based desalination. Brine crossflow over surface-modified hydrophobic hollow fiber membranes (HFMs) yielded fouling-free operation with supersaturated solutions of scaling salts and their precipitates. Surface modification involved an ultrathin porous polyfluorosiloxane or polysiloxane coating deposited on the outside of porous polypropylene (PP) HFMs by plasma polymerization. The outside of hydrophilic MicroPES HFMs of polyethersulfone was also coated by an ultrathin coating of porous plasma-polymerized polyfluorosiloxane or polysiloxane rendering the surface hydrophobic. Direct contact membrane distillation-based desalination performances of these HFMs were determined and compared with porous PP-based HFMs. Salt concentrations of 1, 10, and 20 wt% were used. Leak rates were determined at low pressures. Surface and cross-sections of two kinds of coated HFMs were investigated by scanning electron microscopy. The HFMs based on water-wetted MicroPES substrate offered a very thin gas gap in the hydrophobic surface coating yielding a high flux of 26.4–27.6 kg/m2-h with 1 wt% feed brine at 70 °C. The fluxes of HFMs on porous PP substrates having a long vapor diffusion path were significantly lower. Coated HFM performances have been compared with flat hydrophilic membranes of polyvinylidene fluoride having a similar plasma-polymerized hydrophobic polyfluorosiloxane coating.

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