Electrosprayed CNTs on Electrospun PVDF-Co-HFP Membrane for Robust Membrane Distillation.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Membrane distillation (MD) is a promising technology for desalination.
• Enhancing membrane properties is crucial for improving MD efficiency and durability.
• Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) offer unique properties for material modification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate robust membranes for membrane distillation (MD) by electrospraying CNTs onto PVDF-Co-HFP.
• To characterize the modified membranes and evaluate their performance in MD.
• To assess the long-term stability and effectiveness of CNT-modified membranes in seawater desalination.

Main Methods:

• Electrospraying of CNTs onto electrospun PVDF-Co-HFP membranes.
• Membrane characterization: water contact angle, liquid entry pressure (LEP), tensile strength, pore size distribution, and surface morphology.
• Membrane distillation (MD) testing with simulated seawater, including analysis of temperature polarization coefficient (TPC) and water flux.
• Post-MD analysis using FESEM, EDS, IC, and ICP-MS for salt rejection and permeate quality.

Main Results:

• CNT-modified membranes exhibited higher water contact angle, LEP, and tensile strength compared to pristine membranes.
• Enhanced temperature polarization coefficient (TPC) by 16% and water permeation flux by 24.6%.
• Consistent water flux and >99.8% inorganic salt rejection over 24-hour continuous DCMD operation.

Conclusions:

• Electrospraying CNTs onto PVDF-Co-HFP membranes significantly enhances their performance for MD applications.
• The CNT-modified membranes show excellent stability and high salt rejection efficiency for seawater desalination.
• This fabrication method offers a viable route to robust and efficient membranes for membrane distillation.