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Customizable Manufacturing of Polyamide Membranes with Programmable Layers and High Permselectivity by Electrospray
Xieyang Xu1, Yingsong Liu1, Huijun Yu1
1School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology - Beijing, Beijing, 100083, P. R. China.
Advanced Science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)
|September 12, 2025
Summary
This study introduces a programmable electrospray 3D printer for customizable polyamide (PA) membranes. This novel approach enables precise control over membrane structure, enhancing performance for water purification applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Chemical Engineering
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Traditional electrospray methods for polyamide (PA) membrane fabrication lack 3D design capabilities and programmable features.
- Existing techniques offer limited control over morphology and crosslinking structure, hindering customizable printing.
- The need for advanced PA membranes with tailored properties for diverse applications is growing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a customizable manufacturing approach for printing PA layers with programmable features using an original electrospray 3D printer.
- To develop a coupled polymerization method and numerical prediction model for precise control over PA layer fabrication.
- To demonstrate the potential for on-demand fabrication of nanoscale membranes with tunable properties.
Main Methods:
- Development of a programmable electrospray 3D printer for layer-by-layer deposition of PA.
- Implementation of a coupled polymerization strategy (interfacial, homogeneous, surficial) guided by a numerical prediction model.
- Slicing the PA layer into ultrathin films for individual printing and controlled polymerization.
Main Results:
- Fabrication of PA layers with programmable crosslinking degree, ultrathin thickness (≈14 nm), and nanoscale pores (≈0.32 nm).
- Achieved intrinsic smoothness with ≈4 nm roughness, leading to high performance.
- Demonstrated water permeance of 3.1 L·m⁻²·h⁻¹·bar⁻¹ and NaCl rejection of 99.0%, nearing the permeability-selectivity limit.
Conclusions:
- The developed customizable manufacturing approach offers a universal platform for on-demand fabrication of nanoscale PA membranes.
- Programmable electrospray printing enables precise control over membrane morphology and properties, overcoming limitations of previous methods.
- The high performance achieved highlights the potential of this technology for advanced separation applications.
