In this work, a novel method for
the fabrication of robust triple-layer
membranes composed of nanofibrous high-impact polystyrene (HIPS) as
the top layer, commercial fibrous polypropylene (C-PP) as a support
layer, and styrene–butadiene rubber (SBR) fibers as a practical
binder is proposed. After introducing the nanofibrous HIPS layer on
the PP support layer, surface hydrophobicity was noticeably enhanced
and the water contact angle was increased from 145.7 to 154.4°.
Also, the liquid entry pressure (LEP) and tensile strength were enhanced
by 56.9 and 27.3%, respectively, compared to those of the C-PP membrane.
The peeling test result confirmed sufficient adhesion between the
layers of the fabricated membrane (5.4 ± 0.6 N). Direct contact
membrane distillation (DCMD) performance was assessed using two salty
(35 and 100 g/L NaCl) feed solutions. A permeate flux of 18.33 kg/(m2 h) was obtained for the triple-layer membrane for 100 g/L
feed concentration, which is a good result for this membrane. The
fabricated membrane demonstrated excellent salt rejection owing to
its high LEP value and surface superhydrophobicity. Considering these
achievements, HIPS/SBR/PP fibrous membranes could be a decent alternative
for the DCMD desalination process.