Sulfonated Polyethersulfone Research Articles

Design of a high-performance polyaniline coated niobium dicarbide MXene nanostructure based electro-membrane system for improved nanoplastic separation

This study explores the development of advanced electro-membrane filtration by incorporating Nb-based MXene (Nb2CTx) to enhance nanoplastic (NP) separation and fouling mitigation. The presence of NPs in water results in less effective filtration, hence increasing cost, highlighting the urgent need for advanced removal technologies. Nb2CTx was incorporated at varying loadings, revealing significant alterations in their morphological, structural, and physiochemical properties. The performance evaluation using NP-rich suspensions demonstrated that the membrane with 5 % Nb2CTx loading (MS5) achieved a NP removal efficiency of 97.4 % and a water flux of 90.5 L.m−2.h−1, which was significantly higher than the pristine sulfonated polyether sulfone (SPES) membrane (18.9 L.m−2.h−1 with 94 % removal efficiency). The membrane was developed for an electro-membrane system using a sacrificial anode. The sacrificial anode allowed for multiple complex process to occur simultaneously, including electrocoagulation and membrane filtration. Polyaniline (PANI) coating was added to further increase the conductivity to allow for a more energy efficient process. The study underscores the importance of Nb2CTx loading and PANI modification in improving the filtration efficiency and fouling resistance. Furthermore, applied electric field resulted in enhanced operational sustainability of SPES membranes, offering a novel approach for water treatment applications.

Exploring the potential of anti-bacterial and conductive ZnO–Al2O3/SPES proton exchange membrane applied in MFC for sustainable energy generation and sugar beet industry effluent treatment

This research introduces a novel approach wherein a sulfonated polyethersulfone (SPES) membrane is modified using bio-synthesized ZnO–Al2O3 nanoparticles (ZANPs). This modified membrane serves as a proton exchange membrane (PEM) within a dual-chamber microbial fuel cell (MFC) for energy production and sugar beet industry effluent treatment. We fabricated ZANPs/SPES membranes through a phase inversion process, varying the ZANPs loadings from 0.5 to 4.0 wt%. The ZANPs underwent analysis using a range of methods, including FTIR, EDS, SEM, and XRD, and the PEMs were thoroughly studied through several analyses, such as FTIR, SEM, EDS, AFM, water contact angle, water uptake, zeta potential, oxygen permeability, ion exchange capacity, proton conductivity, COD removal, coulombic efficiency, and anti-bacterial efficiency. According to the findings, ZANPs exhibited significant benefits for modified PEMs, such as improved proton conductivity, ion exchange capacity, and anti-bacterial capability. The MFC utilizing PEM with 4.0 wt% of ZANPs (ZANPs4.0/SPES) demonstrated a peak power output of 142.75 mW/m2 and a maximum current of 413 mA/m2. The values observed were notably elevated compared to the MFC that used commercial Nafion 117. The ZANPs4.0/SPES also had a maximum ion exchange capacity of 2.75 meq/g and 3.91 mS/cm proton conductivity among the fabricated PEMs compared to Nafion117, which only had 1.07 mS/cm proton conductivity and ion exchange capacity of 0.89 meq/g. Modified membranes improved COD removal from sugar beet industry effluent by up to 98.22 % and had a higher coulombic efficiency of up to 39.26 %. The anti-bacterial efficiency of ZANPs4.0/SPES was over 97 % against two types of bacteria. As per the research findings, it is confirmed that the ZANPs/SPES membranes can function efficiently in dual-chamber MFCs.

Dual functional composite solid electrolyte constructed by double-layer sulfonated polyethersulfone (SPES)/poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) nanofiber membrane in high-performance all-solid-state lithium metal batteries

The successful implementation of polymer electrolytes in next-generation all-solid-state lithium metal batteries (ASSLMBs) is impeded by their low ion conductivity and weak resistance to lithium dendrites. Herein, a composite solid electrolyte (D-SPES-PH-PEO) with dual reinforcement effects is obtained by combining PEO matrix with a double-layer sulfonated polyethersulfone (SPES)-poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) nanofiber membrane. The SPES nanofiber membrane acts as a hopping site for ion transport by utilizing the electronegativity and Coulombic force of its own –SO3H groups, reducing the energy barrier of the D-SPES-PH-PEO electrolyte. Profiting from the existence of C-F bond, PVDF-HFP nanofiber membrane specializes in generating a protective SEI layer on the lithium anode. Moreover, such a functional membrane not only effectually constructs a three-dimensional ion transport channel by fabricating ion conductive substructures, but also enhances the mechanical strength of the electrolyte. Consequently, the D-SPES-PH-PEO electrolyte is equipped with a high ion conductivity of 7.41 × 10−5 S cm−1 at 30 °C and high tensile strength of 8 MPa. Furthermore, Li/Li symmetric battery incorporating D-SPES-PH-PEO electrolyte enables a stable cycle for 2500 h at 0.2 mAh cm−2. The D-SPES-PH-PEO electrolyte represents outstanding compatibility with LiFePO4 and high-voltage LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2 (NMC811) electrodes. Especially, the LiFePO4/D-SPES-PH-PEO/Li pouch cell indicates an initial specific capacity of 146.7 mAh g−1 and the NMC811/D-SPES-PH-PEO/Li pouch cell reaches a maximum capacity of 178.5 mAh g−1. This study emphasizes the importance of double reinforcement of ion conduction and anode protection on solid electrolytes.

Synthesized and characterized high‐performance and low‐cost zirconium phosphate‐additive sulfonated polyethersulfone membranes for PEMFC

AbstractIn this study, the preparation, characterization, and fuel cell performance tests of high‐performance and low‐cost zirconium phosphate (ZrP)‐additive sulfonated polyethersulfone (sPES) membranes, which may serve as a substitute for the commercial membrane used in proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), were carried out. ZrP‐additive sPES membranes were prepared by solution casting method with different weight ratios (2.5%, 5%, and 9%). Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), water uptake capacity (WUc), dynamic mechanical analysis, ion exchange capacity (IEx), degree of hydration, impedance analysis, and oxidative stability were used to characterize the created membranes. Ultimately, single‐cell performance experiments were used to evaluate the membranes' performance in real fuel cell environments. ZrP additive improved the WUc, mechanical properties, IEx, and proton conductivity properties of the membrane. WUc of the membranes enhanced by approximately 94% at 80°C, while the proton conductivity augment by approximately 47% with 9% ZrP by weight. 0.97 meq g−1 IEx was obtained for the sPES, whereas it was obtained as 1.41 meq g−1 for sPES‐9ZrP. Oxidative stability experiments for 120‐h determined that all synthesized membranes had a stable structure, and their weight losses varied between 68% and 85%. The sPES‐9ZrP exhibited very high values at 0.6 V, resulting in a power density of 680 mW cm−2 and a current density of 1100 mA cm−2. The results obtained are quite promising, and sPES and ZrP in composite membrane structures have high synergy.

Comparative analysis of high-performance UF membranes with sulfonated polyaniline: Improving hydrophilicity and antifouling capabilities for water purification

Ultrafiltration is vital for wastewater treatment and industrial processes like food production and pharmaceuticals. This comprehensive study investigates the intricate development and performance evaluation of advanced composite membranes composed of sulfonated polyethersulfone (SPES), polyaniline (PANI), and sulfonated polyaniline (SPANI). Spectroscopic analyses (FTIR and XRD) confirm successful PANI and SPANI integration with the SPES matrix. Thermogravimetric assessment shows improved thermal stability in SPES-SPANI 3 % membranes with a higher decomposition temperature than pristine membranes. Morphological analysis via FESEM reveals structural changes in nanocomposite membranes, highlighting PANI and SPANI’s impact on microscale morphology. Mechanical testing indicates significant elongation increase and enhanced flexibility in SPES-SPANI 3 % membranes. Physicochemical characterizations demonstrate heightened porosity, water uptake, and surface hydrophilicity with PANI and SPANI incorporation. Permeability tests show a substantial increase in pure water flux, reaching 220 Lm-2h−1 for SPES-SPANI 3 % membranes. Antifouling effectiveness is evident through lower flux values for foulants (HA, BSA, SA, and NOM) compared to pure water. The hybrid membranes exhibited remarkable resistance to fouling, removing more than 98.69 %, 99.23 %, and 99.49 % of BSA, HA, and SA, respectively, without compromising their rejection rates. Long-term durability assessments confirm stable performance, with SPES-SPANI 3 % membranes recovering 98 % of the initial flux after three cycles. This investigation highlights the robust of SPES-SPANI 3 % membranes for water filtration, emphasizing improved thermal stability, morphological enhancements, flexibility, and superior antifouling and rejection capabilities. These findings offer crucial insights for developing advanced membranes in efficient and durable water purification technologies.

Bead-Containing Superhydrophobic Nanofiber Membrane for Membrane Distillation.

This study introduces an innovative approach to enhancing membrane distillation (MD) performance by developing bead-containing superhydrophobic sulfonated polyethersulfone (SPES) nanofibers with S-MWCNTs. By leveraging SPES's inherent hydrophobicity and thermal stability, combined with a nanostructured fibrous configuration, we engineered beads designed to optimize the MD process for water purification applications. Here, oxidized hydrophobic S-MWCNTs were dispersed in a SPES solution at concentrations of 0.5% and 1.0% by weight. These bead membranes are fabricated using a novel electrospinning technique, followed by a post-treatment with the hydrophobic polyfluorinated grafting agent to augment nanofiber membrane surface properties, thereby achieving superhydrophobicity with a water contact angle (WCA) of 145 ± 2° and a higher surface roughness of 512 nm. The enhanced membrane demonstrated a water flux of 87.3 Lm-2 h-1 and achieved nearly 99% salt rejection efficiency at room temperature, using a 3 wt% sodium chloride (NaCl) solution as the feed. The results highlight the potential of superhydrophobic SPES nanofiber beads in revolutionizing MD technology, offering a scalable, efficient, and robust membrane for salt rejection.

Polymer blending and nanophotocatalyst loading synergy in visible light‐driven photocatalytic PES/SPSf mixed matrix membranes

AbstractThe synergy of polymer blending and loading photocatalytic titania–amorphous carbon nanotubes (TiO2–aCNT) in tailoring the morphological, surface, and optoelectrical properties of membranes is investigated. High energy band gap (Eg) polyethersulfone (PES), and low Eg sulfonated polyethersulfone (SPSf) polymer blends were loaded with TiO2–aCNT nanocomposite fillers. SEM reveals membranes consisting of a selective layer, a dense sublayer and a spongy layer with the latter two consisting of a network of nanofibers whose diameters decrease with increasing TiO2–aCNT loading. The downshifting in the wavenumbers of sulfonyl and sulfone peaks in Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectra confirms bonding of TiO2–aCNT with PES/SPSf via these groups. Blending PES with SPSf decreases the Eg of the membranes while loading TiO2–aCNT produces a second band edge corresponding to = 2.8 eV. Suppression of charge recombination in membranes is realized at 1.2 filler wt.%. Charge separation occurrs via shuttling of the positive holes to the aCNTs and valence band of TiO2 while electrons are shuttled to the conduction bands of PES and SPSf. Electron impedance spectroscopy shows TiO2–aCNT loading reduces polymer membrane resistance to charge transport. Dye degradation up to 85% is realized under direct sunlight irradiation accompanied by mineralization.

Development and analysis of the physical and electrochemical characteristics of a nano titanium (IV) tungstomolybdate supported on polyethersulfone composite cation exchange membrane

In this study, a series of novel composite membranes were synthesized utilizing polyethersulfone (PES), sulfonated polyethersulfone (SPES) as base polymer and titanium tungstomolybdate (TWM) as an inorganic ion exchange resin. The membranes were fabricated through the solution casting technique. The composite membranes exhibited enhanced thermal and chemical stability, as well as improved oxidative stability. All the composite membranes demonstrated higher hydrophilicity, with the SPES-TWM composite membranes displaying the lowest contact angle of 65°. The composite membranes also displayed favorable water uptake (up to 26% for SPES-TWM) and lower methanol uptake (maximum 12% for SPES-TWM) and better mechanical stability (maximum of 40 MPa for SPES-TWM). The SPES-TWM composite membranes exhibited the maximum ion exchange capacity of 1.32 meq.g−1. The transport number of 0.95 was obtained for SPES-TWM, which is comparable to the Nafion-117 membrane. The proton conductivity of both membranes increased as the temperature increased. The maximum proton conductivity of 6.3 mScm−1 was observed for SPES-TWM at 60 °C.

Optimization of ultrathin polyamide nanofiltration membranes with sulfonated polyethersulfone interlayers for enhanced performance

The “trade-off” effect of nanofiltration membranes may lead to problems of lower flux and higher energy cost, which limit their applications. In this work, an ultra-thin polyamide selective layer (34 nm in thickness, much lower than the conventional polyamide selective layer) was prepared by constructing a sulfonated polyethersulfone interlayer on the surface of polysulfone ultrafiltration membranes by liquid-phase deposition, taking advantage of the inhibitory effect of sulfonated polyethersulfone nanoparticles on the diffusion of piperazine. The prepared nanofiltration membrane exhibits a water flux per unit pressure of 33.2 L·m−2·h−1·bar−1, which is more than 2.5 times higher than that of the nanofiltration membrane without the introduction of the interlayer (12.2 L·m−2·h−1·bar−1). Additionally, it has a high rejection of 98.8 % for Na2SO4, which surpasses the upper limit of the equilibrium of trade-off. The study also delves into the modulation mechanism of the interfacial polymerization process by the presence of a sulfonated polyethersulfone interlayer and explores the potential reasons for the water flux enhancement. This research will likely provide theoretical support and practical experience for further optimization of nanofiltration membrane performance.

Eco-friendly, low-cost, and antibacterial PEM boosts microbial fuel cell performance: Power generation and wastewater treatment

The performance of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) relies significantly on the proton exchange membrane (PEM). While effective, commercial options like Nafion 117 are costly and possess inherent weaknesses. Improving methods of PEMs are generally used, requiring spending energy and money and causing harmful and toxic chemicals to enter the environment. This study introduces an innovative approach by enhancing sulfonated polyether sulfone (SPES) properties using Falcaria vulgaris extract, offering a simple, environmentally friendly, cost-effective solution. The resulting green functionalized SPES membranes (GFSPESs) were evaluated in dual-chamber MFCs for energy production and textile wastewater treatment. SPES membranes were fabricated through a phase inversion process and subsequently functionalized using dip-coating, heating, and UV irradiation. Comprehensive analysis, including FTIR, EDS, SEM, and XPS, investigated the physicochemical structure of the PEMs. The plant extract exhibited notable benefits, enhancing hydrophilicity, proton conductivity, and antibacterial capability of the PEMs. The MFC with GFSPES-12 achieved a peak power output of 86.3 mW/m2 and a maximum current of 327 mA/m2, surpassing the performance of Nafion 117 and the bare SPES membranes. GFSPES-12 also exhibited a maximum ion exchange capacity (1.89 meq/g) and proton conductivity (2.98 mS/cm). In textile wastewater treatment, the GFSPESs demonstrated improved COD removal (96.12 %) and higher coulombic efficiency (42.23 %). Notably, GFSPES-12 exhibited an antibacterial efficiency exceeding 93.5 %. These findings affirm the efficient functionality of GFSPES membranes in dual-chamber MFCs, offering a promising and sustainable alternative for energy production and wastewater treatment.

Improving MFC efficiency in power generation and COD removal by using protic ionic liquid in MWCNT-CS-2-aminothiazole-SO3H nanoparticle-infused sulfonated PES

This study exhibits a novel nanofiller, functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)/chitosan (CS) by 2-aminothiazole/SO3H. This synthesized nanofiller was incorporated with a fabricated sulfonated polyethersulfone (SPES) to manufacture a composite proton exchange membrane (PEM), SPES/MWCNT-CS-2-aminothiazole-SO3H. The composite membranes were fabricated by different percentage amounts of nanofiller (0.1 wt%, 0.5 wt%, 1.0 wt%, 1.5 wt%). The trait comparison of SPES/MWCNT-CS-2-aminothiazole-SO3H, SPES, and Nafion 117 membrane is performed to investigate their application in the microbial fuel cell (MFC). The fabricated composite membrane SPES/MWCNT-CS-2-aminothiazole-SO3H 0.5 wt% illustrated superior water uptake (WU) of 90.41 %. Moreover, the maximum power density (PD) (66.04 mW.m−2) was produced by SPES/MWCNT-CS-2-aminothiazole-SO3H 0.5 wt%, which demonstrated a considerable increase (approximately 20 times) compared to SPES (3.19 mW.m−2). Furthermore, the power density generated by the Nafion 117 membrane was 15.78 mW.m−2. In addition, the statistics in MFC usage presented that prepared composite membrane combined with MWCNT-CS-2-aminothiazole-SO3H 0.5 wt% had the optimum chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal, and the coulombic efficiency (CE), with 90.46 % and 80.68 %, respectively. Due to the high efficiency and remarkable power generation achieved by the MFC with SPES/MWCNT-CS-2-aminothiazole-SO3H 0.5 wt%, this modified membrane can be considered as a promising cost-effective alternative separator in MFC.

Removal of a cyanotoxins mixture by loose nanofiltration membranes applied in drinking water production

Cyanobacterial toxins may threaten human health if their levels in drinking water exceed certain thresholds. Therefore, it is important for water works that use raw water sources prone to cyanobacterial blooms to have efficient barriers against such toxins. Nanofiltration (NF) is one potential barrier. The efficacy and mechanism of removing four cyanotoxins, namely microcystins (MCs), cylindrospermopsin (CYN), saxitoxins (STXs), and anatoxin (ATX), were studied at bench-scale using NF membranes commonly applied in Norwegian drinking water facilities. The average removal of the different cyanotoxins under the tested operating conditions ranged from 15 % to 96 %. The membrane with the lowest molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) of 0.3 kDa made of polyamide (PA) was deemed the most suitable for the removal of all studied cyanotoxins. A gradual improvement of rejection observed with the 2 kDa cellulose acetate (CA) membrane was linked to the formation of fouling on the membrane surface. Sulfonated polyethersulfone (SPES) membranes with MWCO of 1 and 3 kDa could not efficiently and consistently remove cyanotoxins, except for MCs. The rejection of MCs over time was over 80 % by the SPES membranes during two days of filtration. The influence of pressure and pH as relevant operating parameters was evaluated. However, the analysis of the cyanotoxin concentrations in the permeate indicated that the investigated NF membranes alone would generally not be able to meet the WHO guidelines for drinking water during a severe cyanobacterial bloom. Thus, incorporating other water treatment technologies should be considered to effectively remove cyanotoxins.

Advancing water treatment sustainability: Investigating electrified Ti3C2Tx composite membranes for minimizing microplastic fouling

The overuse of plastics has led to a large influx of microplastics (MPs) in water bodies and water/wastewater treatment plants. Coupled with the ongoing water crisis, this poses a threat to freshwater availability as MPs disrupt the operation of these plants. MPs cause severe fouling of low-pressure membrane technologies such as ultrafiltration (UF) due to the strong adhesion between MPs and the membrane surface. An electrified membrane-based technology is suggested as an alternative MP fouling mitigation strategy. In this study, composite membranes of sulfonated polyethersulfone (SPES)/MXene (Ti3C2Tx) were fabricated and evaluated as a promising candidate for mitigating fouling of MPs. The described SPES/Ti3C2Tx composite membrane was designed to improve important physiochemical properties such as conductivity without affecting water flux. The membranes were tested under different electrical potentials to find an optimal strategy to reduce MP fouling. The performance tests showed that the flux increased from 42 L m−2. h−1 at 0 V to 49 L m−2. h−1 at 2 V due to electrostatic repulsion when 5 wt% Ti3C2Tx was used as a result of the applied electric potential. In addition, it was shown that intermittent applied voltage using “30 min ON: 60 min OFF” mode resulted in more stable water flux due to in-situ coagulant formation and cleaning. This study illustrates the potential of MXene-based membranes for mitigating MP fouling and paves the way for future research on membrane materials that can enhance system performance.

High electricity generation and wastewater treatment enhancement using a microbial fuel cell equipped with conductive and anti-biofouling CuGNSs/SPES proton exchange membrane

This research is the first to examine the use of biosynthesized Cu-Graphene nanosheets (CuGNSs) in a sulfonated polyethersulfone (SPES) matrix to fabricate an anti-biofouling proton exchange membrane (PEM) applied in a microbial fuel cell (MFC) for high power generation and treatment of ostrich skin tanning wastewater. The study involved fabricating CuGNSs/SPES membranes using a phase inversion method with different CuGNSs loadings (0.25, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 wt%), and characterizing them using several techniques, including FTIR, XRD, SEM, EDS, XPS, water uptake, cation exchange capacity, zeta potential, oxygen penetration, and antibacterial activity. The results showed that the presence of Cu, graphene, and biofunctionalities in the membrane's structure increased their hydrophilicity, proton selectivity, and anti-biofouling resistance, thereby improving the MFC's performance. The MFC using CuGNSs2.0/SPES generated a maximum power and current density of 84.1 mW/m2 and 320 mA/m2, respectively, which was twice higher than the MFC using Nafion117. The result was also confirmed by the proton conductivity and cation exchange capacity analysis, as the CuGNSs2.0/SPES showed a value of 1.84 mS/cm and 0.98 meq/g respectively, which was higher than Nafion117 (1.28 mS/cm and 0.83 meq/g). The modified membranes also exhibited a higher COD removal of ostrich tanning effluent (maximum 97.72%) and coulombic efficiency (maximum 43.29%), as well as maximum antibacterial activity against gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria (>95%). The study suggests that the new CuGNSs/SPES membranes can be effectively used in dual-chamber MFCs.

Sulfonated Poly Ether Sulfone Membrane Reinforced with Bismuth-Based Organic and Inorganic Additives for Fuel Cells.

This research work focuses on developing a robust polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) with high proton efficiency toward proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). In this study, poly ether sulfone (PES) was sulfonated by chlorosulfonic acid to yield sulfonated poly ether sulfone (SPES) followed by incorporation with bismuth-based additives such as bismuth trimesic acid (BiTMA) and bismuth molybdenum oxide (Bi2MoO6). The composite membrane was thoroughly investigated for its structural and physicochemical properties such as FT-IR, SEM, TGA, contact angle, water uptake, oxidative stability, ion-exchange capacity, and swelling ratio. Incorporation of additives into the polymer was confirmed by XPS and XRD analysis. The proton conductance of the pristine SPES is 4.19 × 10-3 S cm-1, whereas that of the composite membrane SPES/BiTMA-10 is 10 × 10-3 S cm-1 and that of SPES/Bi2MoO6-15 is 7.314 × 10-3 S cm-1; both the composite membranes exhibit higher proton conductivity than the pristine SPES membrane. The physicochemical characteristics and impedance measurements of the electrolyte reported can be viable to the PEM membrane.

Two-dimensional borocarbonitrides nanosheets engineered sulfonated polyether sulfone microspheres as highly efficient and photothermally recyclable adsorbents for hemoperfusion

Adsorbents, which can be used to directly eliminate uremic toxins from blood, are decisive for hemoperfusion that maintains human renal function. However, developing adsorbents with large adsorption capacity, excellent chemical stability, high hemocompatibility and good cyclicity for toxins is still challenging. Herein, we proposed a type of two-dimensional (2D) carbon materials-borocarbonitrides (BCN) nanosheets as a novel uremic toxin adsorbent for blood perfusion. Theoretical analysis firstly confirmed the stronger binding capacity of BCN layer towards small molecular toxins than that of graphene. To make it applicable for practical perfusion, BCN nanosheets engineered sulfonated polyether sulfone (SPES) microspheres (B-PES) are thus constructed. Through static adsorption, the B-PES-4 achieves effective toxin adsorption capacities of 26, 40 and 197 mg g−1 on creatinine, uric acid and bilirubin respectively, which are 550%, 508% and 1756% outperforming pure SPES microspheres. In addition, simulated perfusion experiments demonstrate a good toxin removal efficiency for the microspheres, for example, over 80% of bilirubin is removed at a high perfusion rate of 20 mL min−1. Moreover, the B-PES microspheres neither induce hemolysis and immunoreaction in the blood nor affect cell viability. As a proof of concept, the photothermal property of BCN nanosheets is innovatively exploited for fast-drying and efficient recycling of the used B-PES microspheres. These features, together with the reusability, blood and cell compatibility, make the platform highly promising for clinical blood purification and artificial kidney application.

Towards superior permeability and antifouling performance of sulfonated polyethersulfone ultrafiltration membranes modified with sulfopropyl methacrylate functionalized SBA-15

A non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) process was used to fabricate a series of sulfonated polyethersulfone (SPES) membranes blending with different concentrations of SBA-15-g-PSPA with the applications in the ultrafiltration (UF) process. SBA-15 was modified with 3-methacrylate-propyltrimethoxysilane (MPS) to form SBA-15-g-MPS. It was further modified with the charge tailorable polymer chains by reacting with 3-sulfopropyl methacrylate potassium salt. The nanoparticles were uniformly dispersed and finger-like channels were developed within the membrane. The adding of surface modified SBA-15-g-PSPA nanoparticles has significantly improved membrane water permeability, hydrophilicity, and antifouling properties. The pure water fluxes of the composite SPES membranes were significantly higher than the pristine SPES membrane. For the membrane containing 5% (mass) of SBA-15-g-PSPA (MSSPA5), the pure water flux was increased dramatically to 402.15 L∙m –2 ∙h –1 , which is ∼ 1.5 times that of MSSPA0 (268.0 L∙m –2 ∙h –1 ). The high flux rate was achieved with 3% (mass) of SBA-15 nanoparticles with retained high rejection ratio 98% for natural organic matter. The results indicate that the fashioned composite membrane comprising SBA-15-g-PSPA nanoparticles have a promising future in ultrafiltration applications.

Solid polymer electrolytes with MOF-anchored sulfonated polyethersulfone nanofibers with high ionic conductivity and suppressed lithium dendrites for all-solid-state lithium metal batteries

Solid polymer electrolytes with MOF-anchored sulfonated polyethersulfone nanofibers with high ionic conductivity and suppressed lithium dendrites for all-solid-state lithium metal batteries

Highly sulfonated chitosan-polyethersulfone mixed matrix membrane as an effective catalytic reactor for esterification of acetic acid

A new mixed matrix membrane (MMM) incorporating sulfonated polyethersulfone (SPES) and sulfonated crosslinked chitosan (SCCS) as a superior hydrophilic filler was synthesized and applied as a catalytic pervaporation membrane reactor (PMR) for the esterification of acetic acid with ethanol. The optimal conditions for esterification over SPES-SCCS were preliminarily studied using a batch reactor (BR). The synthesis of ethyl acetate was studied in the PMR based on experimental findings of BR esterification. The pervaporative separation of water in the PMR gave it better catalytic performance than the BR. More importantly, the newly developed PMR is permselective towards the ethyl acetate product.

SPEEK-based composite proton exchange membrane regulated by local semi-interpenetrating network structure for vanadium flow battery

To solve the trade-off between proton conduction and ion permeation of proton exchange membrane, we develop an amphoteric composite membrane composed of sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) containing imidazole chains (SPEEK-IM) and side-chain sulfonated polyethersulfone having covalently cross-linked perfluoroalkyl chains (CSPF). Through the local semi-interpenetrated network regulated by imidazole and sulfonic acid groups in the CSPF, a synergistic proton transport channel is constructed in the SPEEK-IM/CSPF membrane. The proton conductivity (31.2 mS cm−1) and ion selectivity (49.5 × 103 S min cm−3) of SPEEK-IM/CSPF-10 show an outstanding improvement against Nafion 212 (28.0 mS cm−1 and 3.0 × 103 S min cm−3). SPEEK-IM/CSPF-10 demonstrates a superior energy efficiency, 74.2%, at 200 mA cm−2, which is much higher than that of SPEEK (58.7%), SPEEK-IM (64.7%), and Nafion 212 (64.0%). Meanwhile, a 48.6% charge capacity retention after 200 charge-discharge cycles at 150 mA cm−2 and 600-time cycle stability further support the formed local cross-linking network and acid-base interaction guarantee the mechanical and chemical stability of the composite membrane. This study demonstrates that synergistic proton conduction channels regulated by covalently crosslinked structure and semi-interpenetrating network can explore a promising high-performance composite membrane for the VFB application.