Development of microporous membranes with enhanced abrasion resistance for water treatment: A review

Over the past few decades, research on ultrafiltration membranes has primarily concentrated on enhancing fouling resistance and water permeability without sacrificing solute rejection. However, membrane abrasion has remained a relatively overlooked issue, despite the increasing global demand for freshwater production. This challenge is particularly significant for polymer-based membranes, such as those made from polyvinylidene fluoride, polyvinyl chloride and cellulose acetate. Since 2020, interest in developing abrasion-resistant ultrafiltration membranes has been growing. Unlike earlier reviews that emphasize fouling resistance, this paper focuses on the critical yet underexplored problem of membrane abrasion, providing a comprehensive comparison of recent strategies to improve membrane durability. Studies show that abrasion resistance can be enhanced through polymer or additive blending, surface coating/grafting, hot pressing (on nanofibers) and sandwich-structured designs—many of which also boost water flux, providing synergistic benefits. This review also examines the advantages and limitations of various fabrication and modification methods designed to enhance the abrasion resistance of polymeric membranes. However, despite promising lab-scale results, the long-term performance of these abrasion-resistant membranes under real-world conditions remains uncertain. While some studies report stable performance over extended testing periods, they often overlook that commercial membranes are expected to operate effectively for several years. Without long-term validation in practical settings, the durability of improved abrasion resistance remains questionable. We hope this review is a valuable resource for researchers seeking to develop abrasion-resistant polymeric membranes capable of maintaining performance when treating feed water containing abrasive substances such as particulates, catalysts, mineral precipitates and micro-/nanoplastics.