Transferring bulk chemistry to interfacial synthesis of TFC-membranes to create chemically robust poly(epoxyether) films

• DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2019.02.016
• Publication Date: 2019-02-10T01:01:42Z
• Authors: Rhea Verbeke; Wouter Arts; Elke Dom; Marcel Dickmann; Werner Egger; Guy Koeckelberghs; Anthony Szymczyk; Ivo F.J. Vankelecom
• Keywords: Extreme conditions; Technology; Engineering, Chemical; Science & Technology; Polymer Science; 02 engineering and technology; PERFORMANCE; DEGRADATION; SYSTEM PLEPS; Nanofiltration; REVERSE-OSMOSIS; MECHANISMS; INSIGHTS; [CHIM.POLY]Chemical Sciences/Polymers; Engineering; POLYAMIDE MEMBRANES; Physical Sciences; Poly(epoxyether); TFC-membranes; Chlorine-resistance; Interfacial initiation of polymerization; SOLVENT RESISTANT NANOFILTRATION; 0210 nano-technology

Abstract Membrane technology is currently still excluded from separations in more aggressive feeds due to limited chemical robustness. To extent its applicability, a novel thin-film composite (TFC) membrane was synthesized via the homopolymerization of epoxide monomers, resulting in robust poly(epoxyether) top-layers with >90% rose bengal (MW = 1017 Da) and 70% methyl orange (MW = 327 Da) retention with reasonable water fluxes (>2 L m-2 h−1 bar−1). The superior chemical stability of this novel nanofiltration membrane type was proven via treatments in pH 1 and 500 ppm NaOCl (pH 4) for, respectively, 48 h and 2.5 h, after which an unchanged or even improved membrane performance was observed. Additionally, the synthesis of the thin top-layer occurred via an interfacial initiation of the polymerization (IIP), rather than via state-of-the-art interfacial polymerization (IP). This IIP approach allowed to convert well-known monophasic bulk epoxide polymerization (commonly used in e.g. the automotive and coating industry), into the synthesis of thin, yet cross-linked top-layers.