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Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Polymer Chemistry
  • Separation Science

Background:

  • Thin film composite membranes are crucial for various separation processes.
  • Developing membranes with high permeability, selectivity, and stability remains a challenge.
  • Existing membranes often have limitations in terms of pH stability and fouling.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a facile method for fabricating thin film composite membranes using self-assembled polymer nanoparticles.
  • To investigate the effect of annealing temperature on membrane structure and performance.
  • To achieve tunable nanofiltration properties with enhanced stability and reduced fouling.

Main Methods:

  • Preparation of internally crosslinked poly(styrene-co-butadiene) polymer nanoparticles.
  • Single-step wire-wound rod coating to form a thin film on a hydrophilic ultrafiltration support.
  • Annealing the membranes at various temperatures (below and above the glass transition temperature, Tg) to tune porosity and performance.

Main Results:

  • A defect-free separation layer (130-150 nm thick) was formed by self-assembled nanoparticles.
  • The membranes exhibited high permeability and withstood aggressive pH conditions.
  • Annealing above Tg resulted in a coalesced, rubbery film with persistent interstitial spaces, leading to significant water permeance.
  • Nanofiltration performance was achieved with a molecular weight cut-off below 500 g mol⁻¹ and low fouling tendency.
  • Membrane porosity and performance were tunable by controlling annealing temperature.

Conclusions:

  • Facile fabrication of high-performance thin film composite membranes is achievable through nanoparticle self-assembly and controlled annealing.
  • The developed membranes demonstrate superior pH stability and tunable nanofiltration properties.
  • The phenomenon of persistent interstitial spaces after annealing above Tg offers a novel pathway for enhancing water permeance in membranes.