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Exploring and Exploiting the Effect of Solvent Treatment in Membrane Separations
Mayamin Razali1, Christos Didaskalou1, Jeong F Kim2
1School of Chemical Engineering & Analytical Science, The University of Manchester , The Mill, Sackville Street, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|March 10, 2017
Summary
Solvent treatment of polybenzimidazole membranes, based on solvent polarity, enhances membrane performance. Acetone treatment, for example, improved product recovery by 25% in a pharmaceutical purification case study.
Area of Science:
- Membrane science and technology
- Polymer science
- Chemical engineering
Background:
- Solvent treatment and preconditioning significantly impact membrane rejection and flux performance.
- Existing research on solvent effects is limited in scope and application-specific.
- Understanding solvent-induced swelling and adsorption is crucial for membrane process optimization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically investigate the trend of solvent treatment based on solvent polarity.
- To harness solvent effects for the intensification of membrane processes.
- To explore the impact of solvent treatment on polymer matrix and separation performance.
Main Methods:
- Treatment of commercial and tailor-made polybenzimidazole membranes with nine solvents of varying polarity.
- Characterization using thermogravimetric analysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TGA-GCMS), headspace gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (HS-GC-FID), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR).
- Evaluation of membrane performance in a pharmaceutical case study involving chlorhexidine purification via nanofiltration.
Main Results:
- A clear trend in solvent treatment effects was observed, correlating with solvent polarity.
- Solvent treatment demonstrated both direct effects on membrane properties and indirect effects on the separation process.
- Acetone treatment of polybenzimidazole membranes led to a 25% increase in product recovery while achieving 99% impurity removal.
Conclusions:
- Solvent polarity is a key factor in optimizing membrane treatment for enhanced performance.
- Membrane process intensification through strategic solvent treatment is feasible with negligible cost implications.
- This systematic approach provides a valuable framework for selecting appropriate solvents to improve membrane-based separation processes.
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