Journal of Membrane Science最新文献

{"title":"Heterocyclic compound-anchored nanofiltration membrane with engineered diffusion energy barrier for Cl−/SO42− separation","authors":"Yucai Li ,&nbsp;Can Deng ,&nbsp;Haotian Hu ,&nbsp;Yida Wang ,&nbsp;Zijian Qi ,&nbsp;Cong Chen ,&nbsp;Cailong Zhou ,&nbsp;Liang Shen","doi":"10.1016/j.memsci.2025.124784","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.memsci.2025.124784","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Polyamide thin-film composite (PA TFC) membranes synthesized <em>via</em> conventional interfacial polymerization (IP) often underperform in Cl⁻/SO₄²⁻ separation due to their subpar spatial architectures. This study presents a novel strategy to fabricate advanced anion-selective nanofiltration (NF) membranes by functionalizing PA selective layer pore walls with nitrogen/oxygen-containing heterocyclic compounds (crown ether and cyclen) to tailor intrapore chemical microenvironments. Both experimental validations and molecular simulation results demonstrate that precise regulation of chemical interactions between the membrane matrix and permeation species (NaCl/Na₂SO₄) enables controlled tuning of diffusion energy barriers for anions traversing the membrane. Beyond size exclusion and charge repulsion mechanisms, we employ transition state theory to elucidate the fundamental Cl⁻/SO₄²⁻ separation mechanism. The distinct roles of these compounds in modulating IP reaction kinetics and their impacts on membrane microstructure are systematically investigated. Integration of heterocycles into the PA network yields more hydrophilic, less densely packed membranes. Resultant cyclen-modified membranes achieve exceptional separation performance (water flux of 26.65 L m⁻² h⁻¹ bar⁻¹, Cl⁻/SO₄²⁻ selectivity of 223), while 15-crown-5-modified membranes exhibit remarkable Cl⁻/SO₄²⁻ selectivity (690, Na₂SO₄ rejection of 99.71 %) with maintained water flux (17.50 L m⁻² h⁻¹ bar⁻¹). These modified membranes also exhibit robust long-term stability and excellent fouling resistance. This work establishes a novel pathway for developing high-performance Cl⁻/SO₄²⁻ separation membranes through engineered control of ion diffusion energy barrier.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":368,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Membrane Science","volume":"738 ","pages":"Article 124784"},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145218439","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Branched naphthalene ring-containing polybenzimidazole membranes for high-temperature fuel cells and alkaline electrolytic waters","authors":"Daohui He ,&nbsp;Zhipeng Xu ,&nbsp;Zhihao Lin ,&nbsp;Meng Wang ,&nbsp;Ning Ding ,&nbsp;Jingjing Yin ,&nbsp;Wenhui Shi ,&nbsp;Junbin Liao ,&nbsp;Jiangnan Shen","doi":"10.1016/j.memsci.2025.124769","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.memsci.2025.124769","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The ionic conductivity of polymers exerts a profound influence on the operational efficiency of energy conversion devices. Elevated conductivity efficiently mitigates ohmic resistance, thus optimizing the overall functionality of these systems. Previous research has demonstrated that incorporating naphthalene rings into polybenzimidazole (PBI) molecular structures confers exceptional oxidative stability to the material. In this work, low−content large 3D structures and highly rigid adamantane structures are introduced as branching points into the naphthalene−containing PBI, enabling it to absorb more electrolytes while improving dimensional stability. Specifically, upon phosphoric acid (PA) absorption, the branched 1.0Ad−NPBI membrane exhibited a proton conductivity of up to 155.8 mS cm⁻¹. In an H₂−O₂ fuel cell (0.6 mg cm⁻² Pt), it achieved a peak power density of 1022.4 mW cm⁻² at 180 °C. After absorbing KOH solution, its hydroxide ion conductivity reached 176.7 mS cm⁻¹, and it delivered a current density of 5.4 A cm⁻² at 2.0 V in alkaline electrolytic water (AWE) cells (in 6 M KOH, at 80 °C). It confirms that branching is a very suitable strategy for improving the performance of PBI.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":368,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Membrane Science","volume":"738 ","pages":"Article 124769"},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145218543","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrating heat curing and interfacial polymerization into a single process: A synergistic strategy for tailoring high-performance nanofiltration membranes","authors":"Zhongyue Sun ,&nbsp;Weiwei Zhou ,&nbsp;Xinwei Kang ,&nbsp;Jianjun Zhu ,&nbsp;Daoji Wu ,&nbsp;Feiyue Ge ,&nbsp;Daliang Xu ,&nbsp;Feiyong Chen ,&nbsp;Liu Yang ,&nbsp;Xuewu Zhu","doi":"10.1016/j.memsci.2025.124775","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.memsci.2025.124775","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>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.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":368,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Membrane Science","volume":"738 ","pages":"Article 124775"},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145218545","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Novel electro-assisted TPPG separation membrane: Fabrication and separation performance for organic compounds and salts","authors":"Yao Du ,&nbsp;Jianfeng Zhang ,&nbsp;Haimeng Huang ,&nbsp;Xue Yan ,&nbsp;Lingzhi Cao ,&nbsp;Tianmeng Zhang ,&nbsp;Jefferson Zhe Liu ,&nbsp;Mengni Ge ,&nbsp;Xing Yang ,&nbsp;Meng Li ,&nbsp;Hongzhi Cui","doi":"10.1016/j.memsci.2025.124774","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.memsci.2025.124774","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Efficient separation of small-molecule organics (e.g., dyes, pharmaceuticals, peptides) and salt ions is critical for resource cycling and zero-liquid-discharge wastewater treatment. However, conventional pressure-driven membrane processes are limited by the ubiquitous permeability-selectivity trade-off and often suffer from inadequate fouling resistance. This study developed a self-entangled topological membrane with an irregularly interpenetrated network by physical mixing conductive polypyrrole-coated bacterial cellulose (PPy@BC) with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and then was stabilized with a glutaraldehyde (GA) crosslinking (denoted as TPPG). Using a self-designed electric field-coupled cross-flow setup, the TPPG membrane achieved an ultrahigh rejection ratio of 99.9 % for organic compounds (&gt;250 Da), whereas almost zero rejection ratio ≤0.3 % for salt ions (mono-, di-, and trivalent). It should also be pointed out that this outstanding performance showed no decay even after 24 h or more of operation. Simultaneously, it delivered an exceptional water flux of ∼850 L m⁻² h⁻¹·bar⁻¹, surpassing most of commercial or literature-reported membranes by 1–2 orders of magnitude. Based on continuum modelling, the applied electric field (regardless of polarity) was revealed to be capable of enhancing confinement-induced concentration polarization and electrostatic repulsion within the TPPG's topological nanochannels by restructuring the double electrical layer. The transmembrane transport of salt ions was thereby accelerated, enabling their complete separation from organics. This work opens a new avenue for precise and highly efficient membrane based separation of small-molecule organics and salts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":368,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Membrane Science","volume":"738 ","pages":"Article 124774"},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145218488","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrating photodynamic disinfection during water filtration for bacteria and viruses management with zinc phthalocyanine-embedded bacterial cellulose membranes","authors":"Hooralain Bushnaq ,&nbsp;Ishfaq Showket Mir ,&nbsp;Harikrishnan Balakrishnan ,&nbsp;Tom Burton ,&nbsp;Julio Carrera Montoya ,&nbsp;Julio Rodriguez-Andres ,&nbsp;Jason Mackenzie ,&nbsp;Giovanni Palmisano ,&nbsp;James Mcelhinney ,&nbsp;Srinivas Mettu ,&nbsp;Younes Messaddeq ,&nbsp;Ludovic F. Dumée","doi":"10.1016/j.memsci.2025.124767","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.memsci.2025.124767","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Biofouling remains a major obstacle to membrane longevity and efficiency in water treatment, driving the need for membranes with intrinsic antimicrobial properties. This study demonstrates a novel, one-step biosynthesis approach for fabricating Zinc Phthalocyanine (ZnPc)- functionalized Bacterial Cellulose (BC) composite membranes by incorporating ZnPc directly into the <em>Komagataeibacter hansenii (K. hansenii)</em> growth medium. Despite the known antimicrobial activity of ZnPc under irradiation, its presence in the culture medium in dark conditions did not compromise bacterial viability or cellulose production, enabling the successful <em>in situ</em> formation of a mixed matrix membrane during fermentation. Structural characterization confirmed that ZnPc incorporation did not alter the nanofibrous architecture of BC. The composite membranes exhibited visible-light-activated photodynamic activity, enhancing both photocatalytic and antimicrobial performance, with photodegradation experiments under static conditions demonstrating efficient photodynamic degradation of methylene blue and underscoring the broad potential of ZnPc–BC composite membranes for concurrent microbial inactivation and organic pollutant removal. Filtration experiments confirmed the bacterial rejection and the biofouling resistance of the ZnPc-BC composite membranes, with the 3 wt% ZnPc-BC composite membrane achieving 99.8 ± 0.20 % <em>E. coli</em> rejection and 98.8 ± 0.9 % permeance recovery under irradiation. However, antiviral activity was minimal, due to electrostatic repulsion at neutral pH, which limited viral adsorption and reduced photodynamic inactivation efficiency. Collectively, this bio-integrated fabrication strategy offers a sustainable and scalable route for producing multifunctional membranes that combine the advantages of bio-derived nanofibrous scaffolds with light-activated antimicrobic properties. The effective incorporation of ZnPc into the BC membrane matrix during biosynthesis opens new opportunities for green fabrication of advanced filtration materials for water treatment and biomedical applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":368,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Membrane Science","volume":"738 ","pages":"Article 124767"},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145218541","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Selective cation substitution electrodialysis enables direct production of high-purity magnesium aspartate: quantification of ion transport","authors":"Zhihao Tian ,&nbsp;Rui Li ,&nbsp;Xixi Ma ,&nbsp;Xiaoyun Liu ,&nbsp;Jiaming Ji ,&nbsp;Jie Qian ,&nbsp;Jinfeng He ,&nbsp;Weiwei Li ,&nbsp;Xiaocheng Lin ,&nbsp;Chuanrun Li ,&nbsp;Haiyang Yan","doi":"10.1016/j.memsci.2025.124763","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.memsci.2025.124763","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Direct production of high-purity amino acid salts offers an efficient and sustainable solution to reduce fresh acid/base consumption and wastewater generation. In this study, we specifically designed a selective cation substitution electrodialysis (SCS-ED) with a novel configuration to enable the direct production of high-purity magnesium &lt;span&gt;l&lt;/span&gt;-aspartate (&lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mtext&gt;Asp&lt;/mtext&gt;&lt;mo&gt;‐&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mtext&gt;Mg&lt;/mtext&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt;) from monoammonium &lt;span&gt;l&lt;/span&gt;-aspartate. To achieve this, we firstly established an ion transport model to quantify the ion transport including the competitive migration of &lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msubsup&gt;&lt;mtext&gt;NH&lt;/mtext&gt;&lt;mn&gt;4&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;+&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;/msubsup&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt; and &lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msup&gt;&lt;mtext&gt;Mg&lt;/mtext&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mn&gt;2&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;+&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/msup&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt; through the selective cation exchange membrane, and the co-ion transport of &lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msubsup&gt;&lt;mtext&gt;NH&lt;/mtext&gt;&lt;mn&gt;4&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;+&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;/msubsup&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt; through the anion exchange membrane. Then, effects of various parameters including stack voltage, feed concentration, and feed velocity on the ion transport as well as SCS-ED performance were investigated comprehensively. Results indicate that decreasing stack voltage acts as a significant role in obtaining a high selectivity (&lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msubsup&gt;&lt;mi&gt;S&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;msup&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msubsup&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;N&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;H&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;mn&gt;4&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;+&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;/msubsup&gt;&lt;mo&gt;/&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mi&gt;M&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;g&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mn&gt;2&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;+&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/msup&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;S&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;C&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;S&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;−&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mi&gt;E&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;D&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/msubsup&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt;) and high purity (&lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msub&gt;&lt;mi&gt;P&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;A&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;s&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;p&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;−&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mi&gt;M&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;g&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/msub&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt;), decreasing feed concentration acts as a significant role in obtaining a high current efficiency (&lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msubsup&gt;&lt;mi&gt;η&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;msubsup&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;N&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;H&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;mn&gt;4&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;+&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;/msubsup&gt;&lt;msup&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;S&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;C&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;E&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;M&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;mo&gt;′&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;/msup&gt;&lt;/msubsup&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt;) and &lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msubsup&gt;&lt;mi&gt;S&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;msup&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msubsup&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;N&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;H&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;mn&gt;4&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;+&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;/msubsup&gt;&lt;mo&gt;/&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mi&gt;M&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;g&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mn&gt;2&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;+&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/msup&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;S&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;C&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;S&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;−&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mi&gt;E&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;D&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/msubsup&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt;, and increasing feed velocity acts as an important role in obtaining a relatively low total coat. Overall, considering the high &lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msub&gt;&lt;mi&gt;P&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;A&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;s&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;p&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;−&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mi&gt;M&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;g&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/msub&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/math&gt;&lt;/span&gt; for pharmaceutical application, a high &lt;span&gt;&lt;math&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msubsup&gt;&lt;mi&gt;S&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;msup&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;msubsup&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;N&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;H&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;mn&gt;4&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;+&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;/msubsup&gt;&lt;mo&gt;/&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mi&gt;M&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;g&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mn&gt;2&lt;/mn&gt;&lt;mo&gt;+&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/msup&gt;&lt;mrow&gt;&lt;mi&gt;S&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;C&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;S&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mo&gt;−&lt;/mo&gt;&lt;mi&gt;E&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;mi&gt;D&lt;/mi&gt;&lt;/mrow&gt;&lt;/","PeriodicalId":368,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Membrane Science","volume":"738 ","pages":"Article 124763"},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145218540","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Electric field responsive carbon nanotube-based polyamide membrane for enhanced antibiotics separation: from charge regulation to performance enhancement","authors":"Houlong Yang ,&nbsp;Wentian Zhang ,&nbsp;Haiguang Zhang ,&nbsp;Qian Tan ,&nbsp;Xinran Zhang ,&nbsp;Xin Yang ,&nbsp;Fangang Meng ,&nbsp;Shanshan Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.memsci.2025.124761","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.memsci.2025.124761","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nanofiltration (NF) has significant potential for water reclamation, but it encounters several critical challenges, including unsatisfactory removals of dissolved small-molecular contaminants such as antibiotics, an inherent permeability-selectivity trade-off, and severe membrane fouling. Herein, we present a groundbreaking advancement in addressing these issues through an electric field-assisted filtration with a conductive NF membrane fabricated by interfacial polymerization of polyamide on a carbon nanotube substrate (pCNT-PA). The effects of electric field strength, solution pH, ionic strength, and combined organic-inorganic foulants on the removal efficiencies of various antibiotics of the conductive NF membrane under electric field-assisted filtration were investigated. The results show that, when the conductive membrane was used as a cathode under an applied voltage of 1.5 V, the rejection rates of sulfamethoxazole and ibuprofen substantially increased from 79.3 % and 59.3 % to 99.5 % and 90.8 %, respectively. This improvement is primarily attributed to the electric field induced increase in membrane charge density, rather than the alteration of membrane pore size. The elevated charge density enhances the electrostatic repulsion between anionic antibiotics and negatively polarized membrane. Based on this mechanism, the pCNT-PA membrane presented voltage-gated separation towards binary and ternary antibiotics with distinct charge characteristics. Furthermore, the electric field-assisted NF process exhibited remarkable antifouling performance, maintaining over 95 % sulfamethoxazole removal efficiency in the presence of combined organic-inorganic foulants. This work advances the understanding of electric field-regulated antibiotic removal mechanisms in NF systems, providing new theoretical insights for the development of intelligent responsive membrane separation technologies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":368,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Membrane Science","volume":"738 ","pages":"Article 124761"},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145218546","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Optimizing gas mass transfer pathways in membrane modules via machine learning-driven offset-perforation column node spacers","authors":"Yong Wang ,&nbsp;Qiang Li ,&nbsp;Yue Pang ,&nbsp;Jinghe Bi ,&nbsp;Zixi Kang ,&nbsp;Zhenbo Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.memsci.2025.124734","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.memsci.2025.124734","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The designation of feed spacers in membrane modules is crucial for suppressing feed-side concentration polarization and enhancing gas separation performance. Nevertheless, challenges persist in addressing uneven flow distribution and inadequate mass transfer enhancement, especially for the high-performance membranes. To overcome these limitations, this study proposes a novel spacer design with optimized flow paths utilizing offset-perforation column node spacers. The feed-side flow field was simulated to elucidate mass transfer mechanisms and energy dissipation pathways in offset and perforation configurations. The perforation strategy results in a reduction of symmetric vortex regions and a decrease in the Fanning friction coefficient. This phenomenon transpires due to the elongation of convective mass transfer pathways, thereby augmenting the transport process between the mainstream zone and the membrane surface. The offset strategy disrupts flow symmetry while increasing convective mass transfer pathways, thereby improving mass transfer efficiency. Finally, a model was established using machine learning parameters to predict the extent to which five structural parameters—including perforation angle—contribute to improvements in the Fanning friction coefficient and membrane module processing capacity. The optimal structure should combine the spacer filament diameter (0.6–0.8 times the channel height), perforation angle (60°–70°), perforation diameter (0.25–0.35 times the channel height), and offset distance (0.7–0.8 times gap distance). The channel height is determined based on process requirements to achieve a balance between efficient mass transfer and low energy consumption.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":368,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Membrane Science","volume":"738 ","pages":"Article 124734"},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145218401","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nanobubbles-induced self-assembly of amphiphilic molecules for structural design and application to polyamide reverse osmosis membranes","authors":"Houkang Pu ,&nbsp;Hanjing Xue ,&nbsp;Xiaojuan Wang ,&nbsp;Weizheng Zhang ,&nbsp;Xinyan Wang ,&nbsp;Huacheng Xu ,&nbsp;Yijun Huang ,&nbsp;Congjie Gao ,&nbsp;Xueli Gao","doi":"10.1016/j.memsci.2025.124754","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.memsci.2025.124754","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>During the interfacial polymerization (IP) in liquid-liquid two-phase systems, nanobubbles introduce additional gas-liquid interfaces, enabling the self-assembly of amphiphilic molecules either in the bulk phase or at the interface. In this work, a strategy involving nanobubble-induced self-assembly of anionic and cationic surfactants was employed to create nanovoids with rapid water transport properties within polyamide (PA) reverse osmosis (RO) membranes, thereby enhancing the membranes' water permeance. Building on this concept, the formation of nanobubble@artificial water channel (AWC) nanoparticles—termed armored nanobubbles—was promoted through nanobubble-induced self-assembly of amphiphilic HCx (Synthesized by histamine (H) and isocyanate (Cx)) compounds. During the IP process, these stable armored nanobubbles facilitated the formation of abundant nanovoids within PA layers and anchored HCx AWC nanoparticles around the nanovoids via their unique carrier effect, achieving the directional loading of nanoparticles within PA layers. The synergistic effect of nanovoid water channels and localized sub-nano AWC nanoparticles significantly enhanced both water permeance and water/salt permselectivity of RO membranes. By varying the alkane chain length of HCx (x = 6, 7, 8), the PA-HC6 membrane exhibited superior water permeance (4.37 L m⁻² h⁻¹ bar⁻¹) and salt rejection (98.6 %) in brackish water desalination. This \"one stone, three birds\" strategy (nanobubble-induced self-assembly of amphiphilic molecules, nanovoid templates, and carrier effect) involving nanobubbles proposed in this study brings a new wave of technological innovation in combining amphiphilic molecules with IP engineering, providing a pathway for designing high-performance PA thin-film composite membranes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":368,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Membrane Science","volume":"738 ","pages":"Article 124754"},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145218485","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Flow-induced surface charge enhancement in alumina nanochannels boosts osmotic energy conversion","authors":"Xiaohan He ,&nbsp;Weiwen Xin ,&nbsp;Shicheng Wan ,&nbsp;Chaowen Yang ,&nbsp;Yongbo Deng ,&nbsp;Liuyong Shi ,&nbsp;Liping Wen ,&nbsp;Teng Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.memsci.2025.124753","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.memsci.2025.124753","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Osmotic energy has garnered widespread attention in recent years as a stable, efficient, and sustainable clean energy source. However, nanochannel-based osmotic energy conversion systems still face challenges in practical applications due to limited interfacial charge regulation. Most current studies are conducted under steady-state conditions, while the coupling mechanisms among flow fields, ion distributions, and interfacial reactions in complex environments with fluid disturbances remain poorly understood. In this study, using alumina nanochannels as a model system, we constructed four different flow patterns to systematically investigate the effects of fluid flow on ion distribution, surface charge regulation, and energy conversion performance. Both experimental and simulation results consistently demonstrated that applying flow solely on the high-concentration side significantly enhances current output and improves osmotic energy conversion performance. In contrast, other flow modes were found to degrade energy conversion performance to varying degrees. Multiphysics simulations further revealed that flow-induced ion redistribution dynamically modulates the surface charge density within the nanochannels. Specifically, flow at the high-concentration side enhances surface charge density, while the resulting convective flow synergistically promotes ion transport and power output. These findings elucidate a coupled mechanism of flow field-ion distribution-interfacial reactions, demonstrating that directional flow regulation can markedly enhance osmotic energy harvesting. This mechanistic insight not only provides a theoretical foundation for the design of osmotic energy conversion devices but also paves the way for developing smart responsive membranes and advanced nanofluidic energy conversion systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":368,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Membrane Science","volume":"738 ","pages":"Article 124753"},"PeriodicalIF":9.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145218486","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}