Abstract
A novel approach is employed to prepare the active layer of the forward osmosis membrane by the photo-polymerization method. The poly (ethylene glycol) phenyl ether acrylate (PPEA) and methacrylic acid (MAA) are used as monomers. The emphasis is given to analysing the effect of monomer concentration on chemical functional groups of active layer, thermal stability, surface morphology, roughness, interfacial free energy, organic fouling tendency and osmotic flux performance. The functional groups of the active layer are characterized by ATR-FTIR. Furthermore, thermal analysis (TGA/DTG) is performed to calculate grafting density and thermal stability of prepared FO membranes. Surface morphology and roughness are characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Unlike control polyamide active layer membrane that suffered from organic fouling (28.14 ± 3.70% flux decline and 95% flux recovery), the photo-polymerized 75/25 active layer FO membrane demonstrated the low fouling propensity (2.77 ± 0.62% flux decline) and high flux recovery (nearly ~100%). The interfacial free energy and low fouling property of 75/25 FO membrane is also reflected in improved osmotic flux performance with 11.20 ± 0.79 L/g (AL-FS) and 8.41 ± 0.22 L/g (AL-DS) reverse solute flux selectivity (RSFS) (Jw/Js) than control polyamide FO membrane (7.94 ± 0.22 L/g (AL-FS) and 7.64 ± 0.54 L/g (AL-DS)).
Highlights
After proposing the idea and potential applications of forward osmosis (FO) by Sydney Loeb, FO has been seeing as an option for the water purification technology
Despite having a number of researches on FO membrane preparation and modification, only the cellulose triacetate (CTA) FO membrane developed by Hydration technology Inc. (HTI) and polyamide thin film composite membrane (TFC) are commercially dominant in the FO membrane market[1]
The above strong trade-off relation between water permeability and NaCl rejection is a good agreement with the other literature and commercial TFC-FO membrane[29]. These results reveal the formation of denser and lesser permeable active layers at the higher methacrylic acid (MAA) concentrations
Summary
After proposing the idea and potential applications of forward osmosis (FO) by Sydney Loeb, FO has been seeing as an option for the water purification technology. (HTI) and polyamide thin film composite membrane (TFC) are commercially dominant in the FO membrane market[1]. This might be the only hurdle for FO to emerge as a new and effective water production technology. Dabaghian et al.[3] suggested a modification for a cellulosic membrane with carboxylic and amine functionalized carbon nanofiber (CNF), and a result in terms of water flux was increased by two-fold compared with a commercial CTA membrane. Correspondence and requests for materials should be addressed to A.A.M. (email: bag@ ched.svnit.ac.in) www.nature.com/scientificreports/
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