{"title":"Aqueous phase co-solvent-assisted preparation of high-performance polyamide nanofiltration membranes: Preparation, performance and mechanistic","authors":"Jingwen Tang , Chengling Bai , Xiaoyi Huang , Jiang Yuan , Shuili Yu , Li'an Hou","doi":"10.1016/j.surfin.2025.106168","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Co-solvent-assisted interfacial polymerization is commonly used to enhance the characteristics of polyamide (PA) thin film composite (TFC) membranes. However, its application to PIP-TMC systems is less frequent, and there is limited understanding regarding the role of co-solvents. In this article, we selected N, N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc), 1-butanol, acetonitrile (ACN), and N-methyl pyrrolidone (NMP) with similar solubility parameters to modulate the PIP-TMC IP process. The introduction of co-solvents can enhance the mutual solubility between aqueous and organic phases, which promotes the PIP diffusion rate and contributes to high-performance NF membranes characterized by smaller pore sizes. Notably, membranes prepared with DMAc demonstrated enhanced retention of divalent ions (MgCl<sub>2</sub>: from 41 % to 83.4 %) and maintained high permeability (46.6Lm<sup>−2</sup> h<sup>−1</sup> at 0.3 MPa), whereas excessive co-solvents could damage the performance. Additionally, Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations show that the co-solvent regulates PIP diffusion rate with its diffusion rate by hydrogen bonding with the PIP molecules and moving together with PIP. Significant variations in the PIP diffusion rate resulted in a wrinkled morphology on the membrane surface. This study offers fresh insights into the selection of co-solvents for co-solvent-assisted TFC NF membrane preparation, presenting a straightforward, facile, and commercially viable approach for achieving high-performance NF membranes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":22081,"journal":{"name":"Surfaces and Interfaces","volume":"62 ","pages":"Article 106168"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Surfaces and Interfaces","FirstCategoryId":"88","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2468023025004274","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"CHEMISTRY, PHYSICAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Co-solvent-assisted interfacial polymerization is commonly used to enhance the characteristics of polyamide (PA) thin film composite (TFC) membranes. However, its application to PIP-TMC systems is less frequent, and there is limited understanding regarding the role of co-solvents. In this article, we selected N, N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc), 1-butanol, acetonitrile (ACN), and N-methyl pyrrolidone (NMP) with similar solubility parameters to modulate the PIP-TMC IP process. The introduction of co-solvents can enhance the mutual solubility between aqueous and organic phases, which promotes the PIP diffusion rate and contributes to high-performance NF membranes characterized by smaller pore sizes. Notably, membranes prepared with DMAc demonstrated enhanced retention of divalent ions (MgCl2: from 41 % to 83.4 %) and maintained high permeability (46.6Lm−2 h−1 at 0.3 MPa), whereas excessive co-solvents could damage the performance. Additionally, Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations show that the co-solvent regulates PIP diffusion rate with its diffusion rate by hydrogen bonding with the PIP molecules and moving together with PIP. Significant variations in the PIP diffusion rate resulted in a wrinkled morphology on the membrane surface. This study offers fresh insights into the selection of co-solvents for co-solvent-assisted TFC NF membrane preparation, presenting a straightforward, facile, and commercially viable approach for achieving high-performance NF membranes.
期刊介绍:
The aim of the journal is to provide a respectful outlet for ''sound science'' papers in all research areas on surfaces and interfaces. We define sound science papers as papers that describe new and well-executed research, but that do not necessarily provide brand new insights or are merely a description of research results.
Surfaces and Interfaces publishes research papers in all fields of surface science which may not always find the right home on first submission to our Elsevier sister journals (Applied Surface, Surface and Coatings Technology, Thin Solid Films)