A Comprehensive Review on Polymeric Nano-Composite Membranes for Water Treatment

Abstract

During last few decades, membrane technology has emerged as an efficient technique over conventional methods due to its high removal capacity, ease in operation and cost effectiveness for wastewater treatment and production of clean water. Membrane based separations are commonly based on polymeric membranes because of their higher flexibility, easily pore forming mechanism, low cost and smaller space for installation as compared to inorganic membranes. Commonly employed membrane fabrication phase inversion method has been shortly reviewed in this article. Major limitation of membrane based separations is fouling and polymeric membranes being hydrophobic in nature are more prone to fouling. Fouling is a deposition of various colloidal particles, macromolecules (polysaccharides, proteins), salts etc. on membrane surface and within pores thus impedes membrane performance, reduces flux and results in high cost. Modification of polymeric membranes due to its tailoring ability with nanomaterials such as metal based and carbon based results in polymeric nano-composite membranes with high antifouling characteristics. Nanomaterials impart high selectivity, permeability, hydrophilicity, thermal stability, mechanical strength, and antibacterial properties to polymeric membranes via blending, coating etc. modification methods. Characterization techniques has also discussed in later section for studying morphological properties and performance of polymer nano-composite membranes. Graphical Abstract

Role of Nanomaterials in the Treatment of Wastewater: A Review

“…The doping process of nanomaterial (zeolite, alumina, TiO 2 , etc.) into polymer ultra-filtration membranes show the formation of amplified membrane on surface of hydrophilicity and fouling resistance [118][119][120]. The antimicrobial material like silver metal particles are also doped with a polymer to produce polymeric membrane to prevent attachment of bacteria and inhibit biofilm production on surface of membrane [121,122].…”

Progress on the Fabrication and Application of Electrospun Nanofiber Composites

“…This modification method includes heating, evaporation, and deposition. However, since the method is limited to inorganic coating, the attachment of active groups is not durable [ 46 ]. Thermal treatment is another way to modify the nanofiber membranes and can enhance the mechanical properties and structural integrity via the formation of fused fibrous structures.…”

“…Thermal treatment is another way to modify the nanofiber membranes and can enhance the mechanical properties and structural integrity via the formation of fused fibrous structures. However, this treatment can cause damage on the fiber after prolonged treatment [ 18 , 46 ]. A co-electrospinning technique is an attractive way to functionalize the surface by a one-step electrospinning process.…”

On the influence of pore connectivity on performance of membrane filters

“…Increasing interest in studying filter design and filtering efficiency has resulted in many comprehensive review articles, such as that by Bowen & Jenner (1995), who provide a thorough overview of membrane separation technology, by Iritani (2013), who surveys the various fouling mechanisms that operate during a membrane filtration process, and more recently by Chew, Kilduff & Belfort (2020), who compiled experimental and modelling results on interfacial interactions and membrane fouling in tangential filtration. Other reviews survey different aspects of membrane filtration, such as filtration materials (Zahid et al 2018), filtration techniques (Ersahin et al 2012) and applications to chemical waste treatment (Daniel et al 2010).…”