Polymer Nanocomposite Membranes for Antifouling Nanofiltration

Fouling refers to the unwanted and undesirable attachment of biological macromolecules, inorganic, organic matter, and microorganisms on water contact surfaces. Fouling reduces the performance of devices involving these submerged surfaces and is considered the bottle-neck issue for various applications in the biomedical industry, food processing, and water treatment, especially in reverse osmosis (RO) desalination. Investigations have proven that nanocomposite membranes can exhibit enhanced antifouling performances and can be used for longer life times. The nanocomposite means addition of nanomaterials to main matrix at low loadings, exhibiting better properties compared to virgin matrix. In this review, a summarized description about related methods and their mechanisms for the fabrication of nanocomposite membranes with antifouling properties has been documented. Around 87 manuscripts including 10 patents were used to demonstrate the antifouling applications of of various nanocomposite membranes.