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Updated: Jan 13, 2026
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Layer-by-layer Synthesis and Transfer of Freestanding Conjugated Microporous Polymer Nanomembranes
Published on: December 15, 2015
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Self-assembled lyotropic liquid crystal interlayer regulated interfacial polymerization for modulating structure and
Fengxian Xu1, Yi Yang1, Xunda Feng2
1State Key Laboratory of Advanced Environmental Technology, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.
Nature Communications
|January 7, 2026
Summary
Lyotropic liquid crystals create a unique interlayer, enhancing nanofiltration (NF) membrane performance. This method doubles water permeability and improves selectivity for cleaner water and efficient separations.
Area of Science:
- Membrane Science and Technology
- Materials Science
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Nanofiltration (NF) is crucial for chemical and environmental separations.
- High-performance thin-film composite (TFC) NF membranes require improved salt selectivity and fouling resistance.
- Optimizing interfacial polymerization (IP) is key to fabricating advanced NF membranes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel strategy for fine-tuning the interfacial polymerization (IP) process for TFC NF membranes.
- To investigate the integration of lyotropic liquid crystals (LLCs) as interlayers to enhance membrane performance.
- To achieve superior water permeability, salt selectivity, and fouling resistance in NF membranes.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of TFC NF membranes using interfacial polymerization (IP) on substrates coated with lyotropic liquid crystals (LLCs).
- Characterization of the resulting polyamide layer's structure, particularly its tubular morphology.
- Evaluation of membrane performance, including water permeability, Na2SO4 selectivity, ion/ion selectivity, and fouling resistance.
Main Results:
- LLC interlayers induced the formation of a polyamide layer with a distinctive tubular structure.
- LLC-modulated TFC membranes exhibited doubled water permeability compared to conventional TFC membranes.
- The modified membranes maintained comparable Na2SO4 selectivity, showing enhanced water/salt selectivity, high ion/ion selectivity, and improved fouling resistance.
Conclusions:
- Integrating LLC interlayers is an effective strategy for optimizing IP and fabricating high-performance NF membranes.
- The LLC interlayer's role in controlling monomer diffusion leads to improved membrane structure and separation properties.
- These findings highlight the potential of self-assembled interlayers for developing advanced NF membranes for various applications.
