Bead-Containing Superhydrophobic Nanofiber Membrane for Membrane Distillation

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Membrane distillation (MD) is a promising technology for water purification.
• Enhancing membrane performance, particularly hydrophobicity and flux, is crucial for efficient MD applications.
• Sulfonated polyethersulfone (SPES) nanofibers offer potential due to their inherent properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop novel superhydrophobic SPES nanofiber beads incorporating S-MWCNTs for improved MD performance.
• To investigate the effect of S-MWCNT concentration on membrane properties and MD efficiency.
• To evaluate the salt rejection and water flux of the fabricated membranes.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of SPES nanofiber beads with dispersed S-MWCNTs via electrospinning.
• Post-treatment with a hydrophobic grafting agent to achieve superhydrophobicity.
• Characterization of membrane surface properties (contact angle, roughness) and performance evaluation in MD.

Main Results:

• Superhydrophobic membranes achieved a water contact angle of 145 ± 2° and a surface roughness of 512 nm.
• The membranes exhibited a high water flux of 87.3 Lm⁻²h⁻¹.
• Nearly 99% salt rejection efficiency was demonstrated using a 3 wt% NaCl feed at room temperature.

Conclusions:

• Superhydrophobic SPES nanofiber beads with S-MWCNTs significantly enhance MD performance.
• The developed membranes offer a scalable, efficient, and robust solution for salt rejection and water purification.
• This approach holds potential for advancing membrane distillation technology.