Synergistic preparation of organic solvent nanofiltration membranes from polydopamine/polyethyleneimine interlayers with aminated attapulgite

Abstract

This study utilized polydopamine (PDA)/polyethyleneimine(PEI) as the hydrophilic interlayer and added aminated attapulgite (ATP-NH2) to the aqueous phase monomer for interfacial polymerization (IP) to synergistically create nanofiltration membranes resistant to organic solvents. The hydrophilic nature of the PDA/PEI interlayer facilitates the rapid passage of polar solvents and results in excellent adhesion, ensuring tight bonding between the ultrafiltration support membranes and the active layer. Furthermore, the incorporation of the ATP-NH2 nanoparticles played a pivotal role in regulating the IP process. The resulting nanofiltration membranes, produced through the combined efforts of these components, achieved an optimal methanol permeation flux of 14.05 L m−2h−1 bar−1, with a rejection rate of Evans blue dye maintained at 99.42 %. Despite being exposed to N, N-dimethylformamide (DMF) at 80 ℃ for a period of 5 days, the nanofiltration membranes maintained both their exceptional separation effectiveness and stability. These findings suggest promising application prospects for the developed nanofiltration membranes.