Recent advances of thin film nanocomposite membranes: Effects of shape/structure of nanomaterials and interfacial polymerization methods

Abstract

The emergence of nanomaterial arouses the development of thin film nanocomposite (TFN) in membrane separation technology. The incorporation of nanofillers into the TFN selective layer enhanced the membrane pure water permeability (PWP) with a slight improvement or even deterioration on the salt rejection. This trade-off is mainly due to the agglomeration of nanofillers, poor interactions between nanofiller and polymer matrix, and the formation of defects in the TFN selective layer. Hence, it is critical to explore and understand the fundamental knowledge of the effects of the shape/structure of nanofillers or interfacial polymerization methods on TFN membranes. This review summarizes the emerging development of TFN membranes incorporated with porous and non-porous nanofillers in the past 5 years, followed by the highlights of the effects of shape/structure of nanofillers on the TFN selective layer. Different shape/structure of nanofillers will influence the transport mechanisms of water molecules and solutes, resulting in a significant change in separation performance. Moreover, various modified interfacial polymerization methods to improve the dispersibility of nanofillers or fabrication of defect-free selective layers are discussed. The challenges and perspectives for TFN membranes are also highlighted.