Tailoring High-Performance Poly(m-phenylene isophthalamide) Ultrafiltration Membranes Using Green Amphiphilic Sugar...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science and Engineering
• Polymer Chemistry
• Environmental Engineering

Background:

• Development of high-performance ultrafiltration membranes is crucial for water purification.
• Conventional polymer membranes often rely on petrochemical additives, raising environmental concerns.
• Poly(m-phenylene isophthalamide) (PMIA) is a promising material for membrane fabrication.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop high-performance PMIA ultrafiltration membranes using sugar esters (SE-15) as an eco-friendly additive.
• To investigate the influence of SE-15 on membrane microstructure, surface properties, and perm-selectivity.
• To explore the potential of SE-15 as a sustainable alternative to petrochemical additives in membrane engineering.

Main Methods:

• Synergistic integration of nonsolvent-induced phase separation (NIPS) and surface segregation techniques.
• Utilized sugar esters (SE-15) as an additive in the PMIA casting solution.
• Employed comprehensive characterization, including nanoscale X-ray microscopy (Nano-CT) and molecular dynamics simulations.

Main Results:

• SE-15 significantly enhanced membrane porosity, hydrophilicity, and pore size.
• Optimized SE-15 concentration (0.2 wt%) resulted in a 32% increase in pure water flux.
• Maintained high bovine serum albumin (BSA) rejection rate (>95%) with improved flux.

Conclusions:

• SE-15 acts as an effective green additive, improving PMIA membrane performance through synergistic effects.
• SE-15 offers a promising, non-toxic alternative to conventional additives for advanced membrane fabrication.
• The developed SE-15/PMIA membranes show great potential for various water treatment applications, including drinking water purification and wastewater reclamation.