Enhancing iCVD Modification of Electrospun Membranes for Membrane Distillation Using a 3D Printed Scaffold

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Electrospun membranes offer low vapor transport for membrane distillation (MD).
• High porosity in these membranes can lead to wetting issues, limiting their application.
• Hydrophobic modification is crucial for improving membrane performance in MD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance the hydrophobicity of electrospun membranes for MD applications.
• To develop a conformal coating method using initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD).
• To demonstrate the effectiveness of the modified membranes in MD.

Main Methods:

• Utilized initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD) for membrane modification.
• Employed a unique coating procedure with a 3D printed scaffold for convective polymer flow.
• Modified intrinsically hydrophilic electrospun fibers to achieve increased hydrophobicity.

Main Results:

• Achieved conformal coating on electrospun fibers, rendering them suitable for MD.
• Reduced coating time by a factor of 10 compared to conventional methods.
• Confirmed membrane hydrophobicity through 100% salt rejection in MD testing.

Conclusions:

• The iCVD method with a 3D printed scaffold effectively enhances electrospun membranes for MD.
• Conformal coating improves membrane performance by increasing hydrophobicity and preventing wetting.
• This approach offers a faster and more efficient way to prepare membranes for desalination.