High proton conductivity in a charge carrier induced Ni(II)–metal–organic framework

Fuel cell technology for hydrogen production demands high proton conductivity of the membrane material at a relatively higher temperature. Thus, optimization of the proton conductivity of the membrane material is...

Benzene ring crosslinking of sulfonated polystyrene-grafted SEBS (S-SEBS-g-PSt) membrane by Friedel-Crafts reaction for superior desalination performance by pervaporation

Sulfonated aromatic polymer (SAP) features highly-hydrophilic active functional groups and inherent ionic nano-channels that make it a potential membrane material for desalination. High content of sulfonic groups favors water transport...

Bioinspired cellulose-based membranes in oily wastewater treatment

It is challenging to purify oily wastewater, which affects water-energy-food production. One promising method is membrane-based separation. This paper reviews the current research trend of applying cellulose as a membrane material that mimics one of three typical biostructures: superhydrophobic, underwater superoleophobic, and Janus surfaces. Nature has provided efficient and effective structures through the evolutionary process. This has inspired many researchers to create technologies that mimic nature’s structures or the fabrication process. Lotus leaves, fish scales, and Namib beetles are three representative structures with distinct functional and surface properties: superhydrophobic, underwater superoleophobic, and Janus surfaces. The characteristics of these structures have been widely studied and applied to membrane materials to improve their performance. One attractive membrane material is cellulose, whichhas been studied from the perspective of its biodegradability and sustainability. In this review, the principles, mechanisms, fabrication processes, and membrane performances are summarized and compared. The theory of wettability is also described to build a comprehensive understanding of the concept. Finally, future outlook is discussed to challenge the gap between laboratory and industrial applications.

Study on the Effect of Porosity on Countercurrent Hollow Fiber Membrane Humidification System

The effect of porosity on the humidification efficiency of countercurrent hollow fiber membrane humidification system was investigated by using numerical simulation method to study polypropylene (PP) porous fiber membrane material. Firstly, the correctness of the numerical model was verified by experiments, and then the influence of porous fiber membrane material on humidification efficiency was further explored by changing the porosity of the model. The simulation results show that the humidification capacity and efficiency of the humidification component increase with the increase of porosity. When the porosity is between 0.35-0.8, the humidification capacity and efficiency increase significantly. However, when the porosity is between 0.8-0.9, although the humidification amount and humidification efficiency value are high, the increment is not obvious, and the porosity of the fiber film is inversely proportional to the support strength of the film, and the larger the porosity is, the shorter the service life of the film material is. Therefore, it is suggested to design the porosity of polypropylene (PP) film material between 0.65 and 0.8. It can not only ensure the high humidification capacity and efficiency of the fiber membrane, but also prolong the service life of the membrane.

Crosslinked Sodium Alginate as a Material for Nanolfiltration Protonic and Aprotonic Solvents

In this work, for the first time, salts of bivalent and trivalent metals were used as crosslinking agents for nanofiltration membranes based on sodium alginate. The developed membranes were investigated for chemical stability in protic and aprotic solvents, the dependence of the permeability of these solvents on their sorption into the membrane material was obtained. The separating properties of membranes based on sodium alginate crosslinked with metal cations were investigated. The retention coefficient of the model substance with a molecular weight of 626 g/mol, dissolved in ethanol, was 97%.