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Molecular Engineering of Carboxylated Polysulfone Membranes for Enhancing Salt Rejection
Zhuonan Chen1, Moris S Eisen1,2
1Schulich Faculty of Chemistry, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel.
Polymers
|July 12, 2025
Summary
Researchers modified carboxylated polysulfone (PSF) membranes using four novel methods to improve ion rejection for water treatment. These advanced membranes show significantly enhanced performance compared to unmodified versions.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Chemical Engineering
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Advanced polysulfone (PSF) membranes are crucial for water treatment.
- Carboxylated PSF membranes exhibit limited ion rejection capabilities.
- Enhancing membrane performance is essential for effective water purification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop novel modification strategies for carboxylated PSF membranes.
- To improve the ion rejection performance of carboxylated PSF membranes.
- To explore practical pathways for advanced membrane development.
Main Methods:
- Crosslinking carboxylated PSF membranes with polyethylenimine or ethylenediamine.
- Partial hydrolysis of crosslinked membranes to create tailored pores and amine groups.
- Surface modification via alkyl brush attachment and quaternary ammonium moiety formation.
Main Results:
- Modified membranes demonstrated enhanced functionality and ion rejection.
- PSF-PEI membrane achieved 28% CaCl2 rejection; PSF-NH2 achieved 37% CaCl2 rejection.
- Unmodified PSF-COOH showed 0% CaCl2 rejection, highlighting significant performance improvement.
Conclusions:
- The four presented methods offer practical strategies for modifying carboxylated membranes.
- These modifications significantly enhance membrane performance for water treatment applications.
- The study provides pathways for developing next-generation ion-rejecting membranes.
