Polymer-Ti3C2Tx composite membranes to overcome the trade-off in solvent resistant nanofiltration for alcohol-based system

© 2016 Elsevier B.V. Solvent resistant nanofiltration (SRNF) technology is an energy efficient and environmentally friendly alternative to purify alcohol-based mixtures, but there exists a challenge in overcoming the trade-off between membrane flux and rejection. Herein, as the representative of the...

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Main Authors: Wu, X., Hao, L., Zhang, J., Zhang, X., Wang, J., Liu, Jian
Format: Journal Article
Published: Elsevier BV 2016
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/70968
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author Wu, X.
Hao, L.
Zhang, J.
Zhang, X.
Wang, J.
Liu, Jian
author_facet Wu, X.
Hao, L.
Zhang, J.
Zhang, X.
Wang, J.
Liu, Jian
author_sort Wu, X.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description © 2016 Elsevier B.V. Solvent resistant nanofiltration (SRNF) technology is an energy efficient and environmentally friendly alternative to purify alcohol-based mixtures, but there exists a challenge in overcoming the trade-off between membrane flux and rejection. Herein, as the representative of the emerging family of MXenes, Ti3C2Tx nanosheets with abundant -OH groups are chosen as nanofillers to prepare SRNF composite membrane after being incorporated into two typical polymer matrixes: hydrophilic polyethyleneimine (PEI) and hydrophobic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Systematic characterizations and measurements suggest that the uniformly dispersed Ti3C2Tx nanosheets enhance the thermal/mechanical stabilities and solvent resistance for both polymer-based membranes through steric effects and/or interfacial interactions. Besides, the horizontally-lied Ti3C2Tx nanosheets give significant promotion on the transfer of alcohol molecules by providing additional pathways along nanosheet surface using -OH as adsorption site. Particularly, they afford improvements of alcohol flux as high as 30% to PEI-based membrane and 162% to PDMS-based membrane. Meanwhile, the rejection abilities are dramatically improved with MWCOs below 200 Da due to the blockage of solute transfer by the nanosheets. These results indicate that the trade-off between alcohol flux and solute rejection is readily overcome. The transfer properties of weak- or non-polar solvents and the long-term operation stability of membranes are also explored.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-709682023-08-02T06:39:12Z Polymer-Ti3C2Tx composite membranes to overcome the trade-off in solvent resistant nanofiltration for alcohol-based system Wu, X. Hao, L. Zhang, J. Zhang, X. Wang, J. Liu, Jian © 2016 Elsevier B.V. Solvent resistant nanofiltration (SRNF) technology is an energy efficient and environmentally friendly alternative to purify alcohol-based mixtures, but there exists a challenge in overcoming the trade-off between membrane flux and rejection. Herein, as the representative of the emerging family of MXenes, Ti3C2Tx nanosheets with abundant -OH groups are chosen as nanofillers to prepare SRNF composite membrane after being incorporated into two typical polymer matrixes: hydrophilic polyethyleneimine (PEI) and hydrophobic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Systematic characterizations and measurements suggest that the uniformly dispersed Ti3C2Tx nanosheets enhance the thermal/mechanical stabilities and solvent resistance for both polymer-based membranes through steric effects and/or interfacial interactions. Besides, the horizontally-lied Ti3C2Tx nanosheets give significant promotion on the transfer of alcohol molecules by providing additional pathways along nanosheet surface using -OH as adsorption site. Particularly, they afford improvements of alcohol flux as high as 30% to PEI-based membrane and 162% to PDMS-based membrane. Meanwhile, the rejection abilities are dramatically improved with MWCOs below 200 Da due to the blockage of solute transfer by the nanosheets. These results indicate that the trade-off between alcohol flux and solute rejection is readily overcome. The transfer properties of weak- or non-polar solvents and the long-term operation stability of membranes are also explored. 2016 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/70968 10.1016/j.memsci.2016.05.048 Elsevier BV restricted
spellingShingle Wu, X.
Hao, L.
Zhang, J.
Zhang, X.
Wang, J.
Liu, Jian
Polymer-Ti3C2Tx composite membranes to overcome the trade-off in solvent resistant nanofiltration for alcohol-based system
title Polymer-Ti3C2Tx composite membranes to overcome the trade-off in solvent resistant nanofiltration for alcohol-based system
title_full Polymer-Ti3C2Tx composite membranes to overcome the trade-off in solvent resistant nanofiltration for alcohol-based system
title_fullStr Polymer-Ti3C2Tx composite membranes to overcome the trade-off in solvent resistant nanofiltration for alcohol-based system
title_full_unstemmed Polymer-Ti3C2Tx composite membranes to overcome the trade-off in solvent resistant nanofiltration for alcohol-based system
title_short Polymer-Ti3C2Tx composite membranes to overcome the trade-off in solvent resistant nanofiltration for alcohol-based system
title_sort polymer-ti3c2tx composite membranes to overcome the trade-off in solvent resistant nanofiltration for alcohol-based system
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/70968