Enhanced Anti-Biofouling Properties of BWRO Membranes via the Deposition of Poly (Catechol/Polyamine) and Ag Nanoparticles

Abstract

The surface modification of reverse osmosis (RO) membranes to improve their anti-biofouling properties is gaining increased attention. Here, we modified the polyamide brackish water reverse osmosis (BWRO) membrane via the biomimetic co-deposition of catechol (CA)/tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA) and in situ growth of Ag nanoparticles. Ag ions were reduced into Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) without extraneous reducing agents. The hydrophilic property of the membrane was improved, and the zeta potential was also increased after the deposition of poly (catechol/polyamine) and AgNPs. Compared with the original RO membrane, the optimized PCPA3-Ag10 membrane showed a slight reduction in water flux, and the salt rejection declined, but enhanced anti-adhesion and anti-bacterial activities were observed. The FDRt of the PCPA3-Ag10 membranes during the filtration of BSA, SA and DTAB solution were 5.63 ± 0.09%, 18.34 ± 0.33% and 34.12 ± 0.15%, respectively, much better than those of the original membrane. Moreover, the PCPA3-Ag10 membrane exhibited a 100% reduction in the number of viable bacteria (B. subtilis and E. coli) inoculated on the membrane. The stability of the AgNPs was also high enough, and these results verify the effectiveness of poly (catechol/polyamine) and the AgNP-based modification strategy for the control of fouling.

Superwetting Polypropylene Nonwoven Fabrics Modified by a Catechol-Based Biomimetic Strategy for Oil/Water Separation

“…They use this as a theoretical basis to find alternatives to PDAs . Some compounds provided amino groups in the modification process, including lysine, poly­(ether imide), tetraethylenepentamine, , etc. In co-deposition processes, silane coupling agents, including KH560, KH570, or A171, were also used to promote the formation of hydrophilic coatings with cross-linked structures.…”

Reverse Osmosis with Intermediate Chemical Demineralization: Scale Inhibitor Selection, Degradation, and Seeded Precipitation

“…Reverse osmosis (RO) has been widely used in brine desalination because of its simple process and low energy consumption [1][2][3]. After brine treatment, RO produces a large amount of salt-containing concentrate with a complex composition [4,5].…”