Superhydrophobic Surface-Constructed Membrane Contactor with Hierarchical Lotus-Leaf-Like Interfaces for Efficient...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Membrane contactors are crucial for gas absorption processes.
• Wetting of membrane pores remains a significant challenge, reducing efficiency.
• Developing robust, hydrophobic membranes is essential for industrial applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate a stable, superhydrophobic organic-inorganic mixed matrix membrane contactor.
• To enhance the performance of membrane contactors for gas absorption, specifically SO2 removal.
• To investigate the surface properties and mass transfer characteristics of the modified membrane.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of PVDF/PVDF-SiO2 mixed matrix membrane via hydrophobic modification.
• Utilizing an in situ spin coating strategy with PVDF particles and SiO2 nanoparticles.
• Surface characterization including pore size analysis and water contact angle measurements.
• Evaluation of SO2 absorption flux using ethanolamine as a liquid absorbent.

Main Results:

• A stable PVDF-SiO2 core-shell layer was constructed on the PVDF substrate.
• The membrane exhibited hierarchical lotus-leaf-like interfaces with a pore size of ~420 nm.
• Achieved excellent hydrophobicity with a water contact angle of ~158°, significantly reducing wetting.
• Demonstrated high SO2 absorption flux (1.26 × 10-3 mol·m-2·s-1) and stable performance.

Conclusions:

• The facile hydrophobic modification method successfully created a superhydrophobic PVDF/PVDF-SiO2 membrane contactor.
• The developed membrane shows great potential for efficient and stable SO2 removal in gas absorption processes.
• The hierarchical interface structure and excellent hydrophobicity effectively prevent membrane wetting.