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Updated: Jun 16, 2026
09:39
Proof-of-Concept for Gas-Entrapping Membranes Derived from Water-Loving SiO2/Si/SiO2 Wafers for Green Desalination
Published on: March 1, 2020
Advances in membrane materials: desalination membranes based on directly copolymerized disulfonated poly(arylene
Wei Xie1, Ho-Bum Park, Joseph Cook
1University of Texas at Austin, Center for Energy and Environmental Resources, Austin, TX 78758, USA.
Summary
Disulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) (BPS) membranes show increased water and salt permeability with higher sulfonation. A 20% sulfonated BPS membrane achieved 98.2% salt rejection.
Area of Science:
- Polymer science
- Membrane technology
- Materials science
Background:
- Chlorine-tolerant polymers are crucial for water treatment applications.
- Disulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) (BPS) copolymers offer potential for membrane applications.
- Understanding transport properties is key to optimizing membrane performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the water and salt transport properties of BPS copolymers.
- To investigate the effect of sulfonation level on membrane performance.
- To evaluate the salt rejection capabilities of BPS membranes.
Main Methods:
- Casting of BPS membranes in both salt and acid forms.
- Investigating membranes with sulfonation levels ranging from 20% to 40%.
- Measuring water and salt permeability and salt rejection.
Main Results:
- Water permeability increased by over one order of magnitude with sulfonation from 20% to 40%.
- Salt permeability increased by two orders of magnitude within the same sulfonation range.
- A BPS salt form membrane with 20% sulfonation achieved 98.2% salt rejection.
Conclusions:
- Sulfonation level significantly impacts water and salt transport in BPS membranes.
- BPS copolymers demonstrate potential for desalination applications.
- Optimizing sulfonation is critical for balancing permeability and selectivity.
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