Abstract
In this study, loose nanofiltration membranes made of polysulfone dissolved in co-solvents PolarClean and gamma-Valerolactone were prepared via slot die coating (SDC) on a roll-to-roll (R2R) system by directly coating them onto a support layer or free standing. A solution flow rate of 20 mL/min, substrate speed of 17.1 mm/s, and coating gap of 0.1 mm resulted in the formation of membranes without structural defects. Pre-wetting the support layer with dope solution minimized shrinkage of membrane layer thickness and improved interfacial adhesion. Membrane samples produced using SDC exhibited properties and performance consistent with bench-scale doctor blade extruded samples; pre-wetted and uncompressed samples (SDC-3) exhibited the highest rejection of bovine serum albumin (99.20% ± 1.31%) and along with adequate mean permeability during filtration (70.5 ± 8.33 LMH/bar). This study shows that combining sustainable materials development with SDC provides a holistic approach to membrane separations to bridge materials discovery and membrane formation.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 24 |
| Journal | npj Clean Water |
| Volume | 7 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Dec 2024 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© The Author(s) 2024.
Funding
The authors acknowledge that this work was supported by the National Science Foundation (grant numbers 2121674 and 1922694). The authors also want to acknowledge Solvay Novecare for providing PolarClean and Arkema for supporting discussions. SEM images and sample preparation were completed using equipment at the University of Kentucky Electron Microscopy Center. The graphical abstract and select figures were created using Biorender.com. The authors also want to acknowledge Minwoo Jung and Jie Young Oh for their assistance during SDC membranes fabrication process.
| Funders | Funder number |
|---|---|
| Solvay Novecare | |
| National Science Foundation Arctic Social Science Program | 1922694, 2121674 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Water Science and Technology
- Waste Management and Disposal
- Pollution
- Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law