Integrating heat curing and interfacial polymerization into a single process: A synergistic strategy for tailoring high-performance nanofiltration membranes

Abstract

Interfacial polymerization (IP) is a widely adopted method for fabricating thin-film composite (TFC) nanofiltration (NF) membranes due to its advantages in achieving rapid reaction kinetics and precise control over active layer formation. However, conventional IP processes are plagued by high energy consumption, prolonged processing times, and significant carbon footprints. To address these challenges, this study introduces a novel IP strategy that replaces traditional oven curing with direct heating of the organic phase during the polymerization process. Compared to conventional TFC-O membranes prepared via standard IP, the novel TFC-T membranes exhibit enhanced crosslinking density, superior hydrophilicity, and elevated negative surface charge. The optimized TFC-T membranes demonstrated excellent rejection of common pharmaceutical contaminants (e.g., ciprofloxacin and tetracycline), and robust purification capability for surface water. Critically, this novel IP process could reduce reaction time, energy consumption, thus slashing carbon emissions compared to conventional methods. The proposed novel IP provides a scalable pathway toward carbon-neutral water treatment technologies while maintaining high-performance separation characteristics, bridging theoretical innovation and industrial feasibility in membrane science.