Improve Membrane Performance Research Articles

The Application of TiO2/ZrO2-Modified Nanocomposite PES Membrane for Improved Permeability of Textile Dye in Water.

This study investigates the modification of polyethersulfone (PES) membranes with 1 wt% titanium dioxide (TiO2), zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) and a nanocomposite of TiO2/ZrO2. The aim was to efficiently remove Rhodamine B (RhB) from water using a threefold approach of adsorption, filtration and photodegradation. Among the modified membranes (TiO2, ZrO2 and TiO2/ZrO2), the TiO2/ZrO2-PES nanocomposite membrane showed a better performance in rejection of RhB than other membranes with the rejection efficiency of 96.5%. The TiO2/ZrO2-PES membrane was found to possess a thicker selective layer and reduced mean pore radius, which contributed to its improved rejection. The TiO2/ZrO2 nanocomposite membrane also showed high bulk porosity and a slightly lower contact angle of 69.88° compared to pristine PES with a value of 73°, indicating an improvement in hydrophilicity. Additionally, the TiO2/ZrO2-PES nanocomposite membrane demonstrated a relatively lower surface roughness (Sa) of 8.53 nm, which offers the membrane antifouling properties. The TiO2/ZrO2-PES membrane showed flux recovery ratio (FRR), total fouling (Rt), reversible fouling (Rr) and irreversible fouling (Rir) of 48.0%, 88.7%, 36,8% and 52.9%, respectively. For the photocatalytic degradation performance, the removal efficiency of RhB followed this order TiO2 > TiO2/ZrO2 > ZrO2 (87.6%, 85.7%, 67.8%). The tensile strength and elongation were found to be compromised with the addition of nanoparticles and nanocomposites. This indicates the necessity to further modify and optimise membrane fabrication to achieve improved mechanical strength of the membranes. At low pressure, the overall findings suggest that the TiO2/ZrO2 nanocomposite has the potential to offer significant improvements in membrane performance (water flux) compared to other modifications.

Polysulfone (Psf) Mixed Matrix Membrane incorporating Titanium Dioxide (TiO2)/Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) for the removal of copper

The global increasing contamination of water resources with toxic metals such as copper (Cu), poses severe threats to human health and aqueous ecosystems. Therefore, the ultrafiltration mixed matrix membranes (UF MMMs) possess an applicable approach for the removal of copper ions. This novel fabricated technology can be applied in various wastewater treatment systems for the removal of heavy metals, especially copper. MMMs were fabricated by blending polysulfone (Psf) with additives into the dope solution via the phase inversion method by incorporating titanium dioxide (TiO2) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) in Psf MMMs. Seven Psf MMMs samples labelled M0 to M6, each with its own formulation, were prepared and tested for density, porosity, and degree of Cu retention. MMMs were further characterized via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), which revealed the range of the IR spectrum of Psf polymer membrane from 1319 cm-1 to 1600 cm-1, 1650 cm-1 to 3400 cm-1 for PEG, and 800 cm-1 to 3600 cm-1 for TiO2 NPs. As for the scanning electron microscopy (SEM), M6 (Psf/TiO2/PEG 6000) was found to be the most dense and highest porous morphology asymmetric Psf MMM. The retained percentage of Cu and flux for M6 attained the highest value of 80.3% and 136.99 L/m2 .h respectively, whereas for the neat Psf membrane, M0 exhibited the lowest retained percentage of Cu and flux, about 25.8% and 61.64 L/m2.h. The inclusion of pore former and additives has shown an improvement of 54.5% in the copper rejection. Moreover, M6 displayed the highest antifouling properties compared to other Psf MMMSs. This study proves that PEG and TiO2 additives have significant potential to improve membrane performance due to the highest percentage of Cu retained on the surface of the membrane as adsorptive separation on Psf MMMs.

Optimizing dual-layer composite membranes with functionalized CNT loadings using response surface methodology

ABSTRACT In this study, we optimized double-layer composite membranes comprising polyethersulfone (PES) and polyamide (PA) using response surface methodology (RSM). We assessed the impact of PES, piperazine (PIP), and trimesoyl chloride (TMC) concentrations, and interfacial polymerization (IP) reaction time on nanofiltration (NF) membrane performance, aiming to enhance pure water flux (PWF) and salt rejection. Optimal parameters for maximum PWF and salt rejection were determined: PES concentration at 14.0 wt%, PIP concentration at 1.5 w/v%, TMC concentration at 0.2 w/v%, and reaction time at 45 s. In addition, we improved membrane performance by incorporating functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (f-MWCNTs) into the PES ultrafiltration substrate, enhancing hydrophilicity and porosity. The resulting PA NF membrane developed on a substrate containing 0.15 wt% f-MWCNT (TFNC) exhibited a PWF of 11.84 LMH/bar, surpassing the PWF of the same NF membrane on an unloaded substrate (TFC) by approximately 20%, while maintaining nearly identical salt rejection levels. Salt rejection followed the order: Na2SO4 > MgSO4 > NaCl, suggesting Donnan-exclusion mechanisms primarily governed the separation process due to repulsion forces between the negatively charged membrane surface and anions.

Recommendation on the selection of powdered activated carbon as carrier to enhance performance of polymeric UF membrane

The addition of powdered activated carbon (PAC) has been widely accepted as a solution to alleviate membrane fouling and maintain a sustainable flux in membrane bioreactor (MBR) and anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR). This is due to PAC's unique characteristics, such as serving as a supportive medium for bacterial attachment and growth, achieving adsorption of organic foulants and providing abrasion effect that minimizes the formation of cake layers on membrane surfaces. While majority of ultrafiltration (UF) membranes used in MBR and AnMBR application are polymeric, no study has yet investigated the integrity of polymeric UF membranes with the addition of PAC adsorbents. The abrasive effects of PAC on membrane surfaces under gas sparging in AnMBR or air scouring in MBR have not been studied, and no guidelines have been established for selecting a reliable PAC for such purposes. To address these concerns, this study systemically investigated the integrity of polymeric UF membranes with five different types of PACs to establish recommendations for PAC selection. Based on the integrity testing of polymeric UF membranes, a recommendation for PAC selection was formulated, highlighting bulk density and Gold Number (GN) as pivotal criteria. Five distinct types of PACs were studied to determine the optimal characteristics for polymeric UF membranes, considering variations in raw materials (coal-based and wood-based), activation methods (chemical and steam), particle morphology (sharp and granular), bulk densities (ranging from 0.23 to 0.6 kg/L) and GNs (spanning from 0.1 to > 6.0). The investigation extended beyond 100 d or until irreversible defects were observed in the UF membranes. This study provides guidelines for selecting PACs to be used with polymeric UF membranes, aiming to improve membrane performance while minimising their impact on membrane surfaces.

Carbon-Based Nanocomposite Membranes for Membrane Distillation: Progress, Problems and Future Prospects.

The development of an ideal membrane for membrane distillation (MD) is of the utmost importance. Enhancing the efficiency of MD by adding nanoparticles to or onto a membrane's surface has drawn considerable attention from the scientific community. It is crucial to thoroughly examine state-of-the-art nanomaterials-enabled MD membranes with desirable properties, as they greatly enhance the efficiency and reliability of the MD process. This, in turn, opens up opportunities for achieving a sustainable water-energy-environment nexus. By introducing carbon-based nanomaterials into the membrane's structure, the membrane gains excellent separation abilities, resistance to various feed waters, and a longer lifespan. Additionally, the use of carbon-based nanomaterials in MD has led to improved membrane performance characteristics such as increased permeability and a reduced fouling propensity. These nanomaterials have also enabled novel membrane capabilities like in situ foulant degradation and localized heat generation. Therefore, this review offers an overview of how the utilization of different carbon-based nanomaterials in membrane synthesis impacts the membrane characteristics, particularly the liquid entry pressure (LEP), hydrophobicity, porosity, and membrane permeability, as well as reduced fouling, thereby advancing the MD technology for water treatment processes. Furthermore, this review also discusses the development, challenges, and research opportunities that arise from these findings.

Optimization of Chitosan Synthesis Process Parameters to Enhance PES/Chitosan Membrane Performance for the Treatment of Acid Mine Drainage (AMD).

Acid mine drainage (AMD) is an environmental issue linked with mining activities, causing the release of toxic water from mining areas. Polyethersulphone (PES) membranes are explored for AMD treatment, but their limited hydrophilicity hinders their performance. Chitosan enhances hydrophilicity, addressing this issue. However, the effectiveness depends on chitosan's degree of deacetylation (DD), determined during the deacetylation process for chitosan production. This study optimized the chitin deacetylation temperature, alkaline (NaOH) concentration, and reaction time, yielding the highest chitosan degree of deacetylation (DD) for PES/chitosan membrane applications. Prior research has shown that high DD chitosan enhances membrane antifouling and hydrophilicity, increasing contaminant rejection and permeate flux. Evaluation of the best deacetylation conditions in terms of temperature (80, 100, 120 °C), NaOH concentration (20, 40, 60 wt.%), and time (2, 4, 6 h) was performed. The highest chitosan DD obtained was 87.11% at 80 °C, 40 wt. %NaOH at 4 h of chitin deacetylation. The PES/0.75 chitosan membrane (87.11%DD) showed an increase in surface hydrophilicity (63.62° contact angle) as compared to the pristine PES membrane (72.83° contact angle). This was an indicated improvement in membrane performance. Thus, presumably leading to high contaminant rejection and permeate flux in the AMD treatment context, postulate to literature.

Recent Developments in Nanocomposite Membranes Based on Carbon Dots.

Carbon dots (CDs) have aroused colossal attention in the fabrication of nanocomposite membranes ascribed to their ultra-small size, good dispersibility, biocompatibility, excellent fluorescence, facile synthesis, and ease of functionalization. Their unique properties could significantly improve membrane performance, including permeance, selectivity, and antifouling ability. In this review, we summarized the recent development of CDs-based nanocomposite membranes in many application areas. Specifically, we paid attention to the structural regulation and functionalization of CDs-based nanocomposite membranes by CDs. Thus, a detailed discussion about the relationship between the CDs' properties and microstructures and the separation performance of the prepared membranes was presented, highlighting the advantages of CDs in designing high-performance separation membranes. In addition, the excellent optical and electric properties of CDs enable the nanocomposite membranes with multiple functions, which was also presented in this review.

Enhanced resistance of PdNiAu membranes under CO and H2S-containing streams

Pd-based membranes offer energy efficiency and economic advantages, providing a promising route for hydrogen separation and recovery from several streams. Alloying Pd with other elements increases its resistance to corrosive gases while improving H2 permeability. This study investigated the permselective properties of PdNiAu membranes with different Ni contents (17, 23, and 27 at.% Ni) in pure H2 and under CO/He/H2 and H2S/H2 mixtures. The permselective properties were evaluated at different temperatures (573–723 K) and pressure differences across the membrane (ΔP: 10–100 kPa). The membranes studied exhibited promising H2 permeation properties; the highest permeability at 673 K and 100 kPa was obtained with the membrane containing 23 at.% Ni (2.1 × 10−8 mol m−1 s−1 Pa−0.5). All membranes exhibited high H2/N2 selectivity (>10,000). Regarding chemical stability, the membranes with 23 and 27 at.% Ni, showed high tolerance to inhibition by CO and H2S. These results suggest that increasing Ni improves membrane performance in streams containing CO or S; however, the high chemical resistance of the membranes could be attributed to both Ni and Au.

PVDF-Halloysite-Ceria multifunctional membrane for one-step treatment to industrial effluent

Industrial wastewater, containing diverse pollutants like dyes and oils, poses detrimental environmental challenges. Membrane technology addresses this complexity well but requires tailored nanofiller modifications that enhance hydrophilicity, oleophobicity, and antifouling potential for efficient separation. In this context, our work focuses on the development of mixed matrix membranes (PV-H-C) – PVDF, halloysite nanotubes (HNTs), and ceria nanoparticles – for effective dye and oil-water emulsion separation, enabling high flux recovery. The tubular structure of HNTs, with a lumen, enables the encapsulation and controlled distribution of ceria nanoparticles, preventing their agglomeration and leading to more uniform dispersion within the membrane matrix. HNTs porous structure, high surface area, and numerous adsorption sites within its nanotubes excel in rapid dye adsorption and ceria’s inherent hydrophobic properties along with low surface energy, forms a barrier against oil adhesion and spreading. Optimal results were achieved by loading 2% HNT and 1% ceria in the PVDF matrix, ensuring improved membrane performance. HNTs enhanced hydrophilicity and achieved pure water permeate flux of 1698 L/m2.h.bar. Developed membranes are super-oleophobic with an underwater contact angle of 132° + 3° and show a 100% increase in dyes and oils separation efficiency as compared to the pristine PVDF membranes. This unique integration of ceria with halloysite nanotubes in PV-H-C membranes is pivotal, bestowing exceptional anti-fouling characteristics and reusability, while providing a one-step, comprehensive solution for the effective treatment of complex industrial wastewater that encompasses both oil and complex dyes.

Pervaporation Membranes Based on Polyelectrolyte Complex of Sodium Alginate/Polyethyleneimine Modified with Graphene Oxide for Ethanol Dehydration.

Pervaporation is considered the most promising technology for dehydration of bioalcohols, attracting increasing attention as a renewable energy source. In this regard, the development of stable and effective membranes is required. In this study, highly efficient membranes for the enhanced pervaporation dehydration of ethanol were developed by modification of sodium alginate (SA) with a polyethylenimine (PEI) forming polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) and graphene oxide (GO). The effect of modifications with GO or/and PEI on the structure, physicochemical, and transport characteristics of dense membranes was studied. The formation of a PEC by ionic cross-linking and its interaction with GO led to changes in membrane structure, confirmed by spectroscopic and microscopic methods. The physicochemical properties of membranes were investigated by a thermogravimetric analysis, a differential scanning calorimetry, and measurements of contact angles. The theoretical consideration using computational methods showed favorable hydrogen bonding interactions between GO, PEI, and water, which caused improved membrane performance. To increase permeability, supported membranes without treatment and cross-linked were developed by the deposition of a thin dense layer from the optimal PEC/GO (2.5%) composite onto a developed porous substrate from polyacrylonitrile. The cross-linked supported membrane demonstrated more than two times increased permeation flux, higher selectivity (above 99.7 wt.% water in the permeate) and stability for separating diluted mixtures compared to the dense pristine SA membrane.

Modification of electrospun polyacrylonitrile nanofiber membranes with curcumin quantum dots for enhanced self-cleaning, antifouling and photocatalytic performance for water treatment

This work presents the fabrication of electrospun PAN-CMQD nanofiber membranes by blending laser ablated curcumin quantum dots (CMQD) with polyacrylonitrile (PAN) for water treatment application. The electrospinning process conditions were optimized using TOPSIS-Taguchi L9 (33) approach to develop membranes with superior membrane performance. The PAN-CMQD nanofiber membranes were of average fibre diameter 85.89 nm and exhibited increased hydrophilicity and improved membrane performance with 53.01 %, 36.74 %, 58.03 %, 37.68 % and 57.33 % increase in porosity, solute rejection, fouling rejection ratio, tensile strength and pure water flux respectively in contrast to the pristine PAN membrane. The PAN-CMQD nanofiber membrane possessed enhanced recyclability, self-cleaning ability, antibacterial activity and also showed good heavy metal ion removal efficiency towards Pb2+, Fe2+, Cr6+, Cd2+ and Mn2+. The PAN-CMQD membrane also showed 98.80 % photocatalytic degradation efficiency towards methylene blue dye under visible light irradiation. This study proves that PAN-CMQD nanofiber membrane is efficient in treating contaminated water with improved photocatalytic and self-regeneration capacity and the developed membrane could possibly be deployed for the mitigation of heavy metals and dyes from industrial waste water.

Evaluation of the performance of Fe3O4-NPs/PVDF nanocomposite membrane for removal of BTEX from contaminated water

With the increase in reported cases of toxic organic contaminants such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX) in the aquatic environment, membrane technology offers a viable option for removing BTEX from wastewater. However, hydrophilic modification of the membranes is vital to reduce the rapid accumulation of the BTEX organic contaminants and maintain improved membrane performance in BTEX removal. In this study, biogenically-synthesized Fe3O4-NPs were embedded into a PVDF membrane to endow the membrane with hydrophilicity, which necessitates the reduction in BTEX accumulation on the membrane, consequently maintaining improved membrane performance towards BTEX removal. Different Fe3O4-NPs loadings (0 wt% to 5 wt%) were used for the PVDF modification to establish the optimum blending amount of the Fe3O4-NPs required to achieve the most effective membrane. The water contact angle was reduced from 84.2° (pristine PVDF) to 52° for the membrane modified with 1 wt% of the Fe3O4-NPs. Other membrane features such as porosity, surface roughness, and mechanical strength were also enhanced. Performance evaluation of the membranes revealed that the flux and BTEX rejection of the Fe3O4-NPs/PVDF membrane were improved. The antifouling test results showed a reduction in the total fouling from 52.1 % (pristine membrane) to 36.3 % for the membrane modified with 1 wt% of the Fe3O4-NPs. Our findings provide a strategy utilizing biogenically synthesized Fe3O4-NPs to enhance PVDF membranes' performance for removing BTEX from wastewater.

Thermo‐responsive polymer to clean fouled forward osmosis membrane after wastewater treatment: Excellent flux recovery

AbstractThermally responsive polymers (TRPs) have gained significant attention in the past decade due to their unique phase transition behavior, those exhibiting changes in properties with temperature variations. In water, hydrophilic block copolymers form helical structures that can transform into hydrophobic globules above the lower critical solution temperature (LCST). Fouling is one of the limiting issues for the forward osmosis (FO) process in wastewater treatment. In this work, after the treatment of wastewater from the paper and pulp industries, foulants were removed from the surface of the commercial polyamide thin‐film composite membrane of the FO process using polyvinyl methyl ether (PVME), a TRP with an LCST of 35–37°C. PVME was mixed with different aqueous solutions to form cleaning solutions. Foulant cleaning experiments utilized a 1% PVME (w/v) solution in 300 mL of de‐ionized (DI) water, while 1 M NaCl solution served as the draw solution (DS) in the FO process. Comparing the water flux (J) and change in membrane hydraulic resistance (Rf) among pristine, fouled, and cleaned membranes revealed a 56.67% increase in water flux and a 51.68% decrease in membrane resistance after PVME mixed with DI water cleaning solution showcasing its effectiveness in improving membrane performance and reducing fouling. The cleaning efficiency of two solutions, that is, 1% PVME mixed in DI water and 1% PVME mixed in 1 M aqueous urea solution, is compared. Results showed that the former cleaning solution helped to obtain 32.62% higher water flux and 56.05% less membrane resistance. Various membrane characterizations are performed, such as field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE‐SEM), which characterizes the membrane's pore structure and surface morphology, while a contact angle analyzer assesses hydrophilicity. This research highlights the use of TRPs as effective cleaning agents, enhancing membrane performance by effectively removing foulants on the membrane surface. Investigating alternative cleaning solutions also provides insights for optimizing water treatment processes.Highlights Cleaning of fouled thin‐film composite membrane using thermal‐responsive polymers (TRPs). Polyvinyl methyl ether, a TRP with an lower critical solution temperature of 35–37°C used as a cleaning agent. 60% increase in water flux was observed after the single‐step cleaning process. Multiple uses of TRP for cleaning performed with no membrane damage.

High Recovery of Ceramic Membrane Cleaning Remediation by Ozone Nanobubble Technology.

The persistent issue of ceramic membrane fouling poses significant challenges to its widespread implementation. To address this concern, ozone nanobubbles (ozone-NBs) have garnered attention due to their remarkable mass transfer efficiency. In this investigation, we present a novel ozone-NB generator system to effectively clean a fouled ceramic membrane that is typically employed in the dye industry. The surface characteristics of the ceramic membrane underwent significant alterations, manifesting incremental changes in surface roughness and foulant accumulation reduction, as evidenced in atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray fluorescence, and energy-dispersive spectroscopy. Remarkably, the sequential 4 h cleaning process demonstrates an effective outcome leading to an almost 2-fold enhancement in the membrane flux. The initial fouled state of 608 L/h/m2 increased to 1050 L/h/m2 in the 4 h state with a recovery of 50%. We propose such membrane performance improvement governed by the ozone-NBs with a size distribution of 213.2 nm and a zeta potential value of -20.26 ± 0.13 mV, respectively. This effort showcases a substantial innovative and sustainable technology approach toward proficient foulant removal in water treatment applications.

Enhancing oil–water emulsion separation using improved styrene–acrylonitrile copolymer membrane: Experimental and thermodynamic study of the impact of solvent mixtures

AbstractThis study investigated the fabrication of styrene–acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN) membrane using the nonsolvent‐induced phase separation (NIPS) method with a combination of solvents, namely N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone (NMP) and dimethylformamide (DMF) and water as the nonsolvent. Since the impact of varying solvent ratios on SAN membrane performance remained unexplored, this study aimed to address this knowledge gap in the context of oil–water emulsion separation. Experimental results demonstrated that employing a solvent mixture, rather than a pure solvent, led to improved membrane performance. The primary objective of this work was to experimentally determine the optimal solvent ratio for enhancing SAN copolymer membrane performance. Additionally, the Flory–Huggins thermodynamic model was applied to investigate the possibility of predicting membrane binodal data. The thermodynamic analysis revealed a strong agreement between calculated and experimental binodal data, with an error of less than 3.8%. Notably, membranes produced with an equal solvent ratio exhibited the most hydrophilic properties, resulting in increased permeability. The permeate flux for distilled water reached 320 L/(m2 h) (LMH), and water contact angle of the membrane was 22°. Furthermore, mechanical resistance increased up to 50%. These results highlight the promising potential of fabricating SAN membrane using solvent mixtures for oil–water emulsion separation.

Utilization of chitosan as an additive for enhancing the performance of polyethersulfone membranes for water treatment

This research investigates the impact of adding chitosan as an additive to improve membrane performance. Membrane fabrication was conducted using the non-solvent-induced phase separation method with polymer blending. Characterization was conducted by evaluating functional groups using FTIR, morphological structure using SEM, and water contact angle using a WCA meter. The research findings show that chitosan additives have a positive influence on the prepared PES membrane. There was a change in the morphological form on the membrane, as evidenced by SEM photos of the cross-section of the membrane. An increase in chitosan concentration resulted in improved hydrophilic properties of the membrane, indicated by a 63.2° reduction in water contact angle. The results show that the best membrane performance was achieved with 4% chitosan addition, resulting in a water flux of 38.2 L/m2.h as well as humic acid rejection of 67.9%.

Acetone extraction induced piperazine diffusion reaction for regulating thin film composite nanofiltration membrane

The regulation of monomer diffusion in interfacial polymerization played a vital role in manipulating structure and enhancing separation performance of nanofiltration (NF) membrane. The co-solvent strategy has been recognized to be valid and applicable for improving membrane performance. However, the underlying mechanism for its effect on the diffusion progress of amine monomers was still unclear and contradictory. In this study, we found that the added co-solvent (acetone) induced piperazine diffusion flood through interfacial co-solvent extraction effect due to the interfacial enrichment of acetone and innovatively proposed a concept of “acetone extraction effect”. The mechanism and molecular dynamics simulation (MD) were used to systematically explain the effect of diffusion on the morphology and properties of the membranes. The prepared NF membranes exhibited improved separation performance for Calcium (CaCl2, 71.5 ± 0.6 %) and Magnesium (MgCl2, 83.1 ± 0.8 %) ions, which were better than many of the recorded membranes. This study provided a new idea for the co-solvent effect in interfacial polymerization and promising guidance for the preparation of superior NF membranes.

Enhanced desalination with polyamide thin-film membranes using ensemble ML chemometric methods and SHAP analysis.

Addressing global freshwater scarcity requires innovative technological solutions, among which desalination through thin-film composite polyamide membranes stands out. The performance of these membranes plays a vital role in desalination, necessitating advanced predictive modeling for optimization. This study harnesses machine learning (ML) algorithms, including support vector machine (SVM), neural networks (NN), linear regression (LR), and multivariate linear regression (MLR), alongside their ensemble techniques to predict and enhance average water flux (AWF) and average salt rejection (ASR) essential metrics of desalination efficiency. To ensure model interpretability and feature importance analysis, SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) were employed, providing both global and local insights into feature contributions. Initially, the individual models were validated, with NN demonstrating superior performance for both AWF and ASR, achieving the lowest mean absolute error (MAE = 0.001) and root mean squared error (RMSE = 0.0111) for AWF and an MAE = 0.0107 and RMSE = 0.0982 for ASR. The accuracy of predictions improved significantly with ensemble models, as evidenced by the near-perfect Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) values. Specifically, the NN ensemble (NN-E) and Linear Regression ensemble (LR-E) reached an MAE and RMSE of 0.001 and 0.0111, respectively, for AWF. For ASR, NN-E reduced the MAE to 0.0013 and the RMSE to 0.0089, while LR-E maintained competitive performance with an MAE of 0.0133 and an RMSE of 0.0936. SHAP analysis revealed that features such as MDP and TMC were critical drivers of performance, with MDP showing the most significant positive impact on ASR. These findings demonstrate the dominance of ensemble methods over individual algorithms in predicting key desalination parameters. The enhanced precision in estimating AWF and ASR offered by these neuro-intelligent ensembles, combined with the interpretability provided by SHAP analysis, can lead to significant environmental and operational improvements in membrane performance, optimizing resource usage and minimizing ecological impacts. This study paves the way for integrating intelligent ML ensembles and SHAP-based interpretability into the practical field of membrane technology, marking a step forward toward sustainable and efficient desalination processes.

Performance of PVDF-La dope TiO2 Membrane Photocatalytic Under Visible Light Irradiation for Produced Water Treatment

Membrane technology has been widely applied in water management systems for production, but is still hindered by fouling phenomena and low selectivity. Improving membrane performance through modification, such as the addition of photocatalytic materials, has been explored. In this research, La@TiO2 composite was incorporated into PVDF membranes for the treatment of produced water. Lanthanum doping on TiO2 effectively inhibits carrier recombination and enhances photocatalytic activity. According to the research results, adding the La@TiO2 composite to the membrane matrix increased the porosity value and membrane pore size. The PVDF-La@TiO2 1.5%wt membrane exhibited the highest flux values, specifically 20.59 L.m-2.h-1 and 40 L.m-2.h-1 in dark conditions and visible light irradiation. The rejection rates for COD, TDS, and ammonia were 69.89%, 57.77%, and 69.65%. The photocatalytic degradation effect of PVDF-La@TiO2 is proven by a significant difference in the filtration results under vis-light irradiation. The kinetics of COD removal are better described by a pseudo-first-order model. The degradation of PVDF-La@TiO2 1.5% pollutant demonstrated significant results, confirming its photocatalytic activity under irradiation. Overall, the membrane exhibited good performance and proved to be reusable after 6 hours of photofiltration. This research holds promise for enhancing the use of membrane photocatalytics in the treatment of produced water.

Intricacies of CO2 removal from mixed gases and biogas using polysulfone/ZIF-8 mixed matrix membranes - part 1: experimental.

In this work, we explore the potential of polysulfone/ZIF-8 mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) for the enrichment of biogas to biomethane. To this end, we present data for these MMMs on permeability and selectivity as function of pressure and feed composition, at different loadings of ZIF-8. Specifically, we study dense polysulfone membranes prepared by solvent evaporation, with a ZIF-8 loading in the range 0.5-5 wt% for separation of CO2 from artificial mixtures of CO2 and CH4, and also biogas from an operating plant. The MMMs with 1 wt% filler loading gave the highest enhancement in permeability and selectivity, of 56.8% and 41% respectively, as compared to pure PSF membranes. At higher loadings, a tendency for the ZIF-8 particles to agglomerate was seen, which may compromise the ability of the filler to improve membrane performance. With mixed gases, increases in CO2 permeability of about 8 to 34% were observed depending on the gas composition, the enhancement being the higher, the lower the CO2 content. For biogas, permeability and selectivity of the 1% ZIF-8 loaded MMMs were found to be 14.6% and 39.64% lesser respectively than the pure gas values. The study thus throws light on the differences in membrane performance with mixtures as compared to ideal values obtained with pure gases and hence underlines the importance of lab-scale testing of the membranes with actual gas mixtures in the intended applications.