Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/105894
Title: Fabrication of bioinspired composite nanofiber membranes with robust superhydrophobicity for direct contact membrane distillation
Authors: Fane, Anthony Gordon
Liao, Yuan
Wang, Rong
Keywords: DRNTU::Engineering::Environmental engineering::Water treatment
Issue Date: 2014
Source: Liao, Y., Wang, R., & Fane, A. G. (2014). Fabrication of bioinspired composite nanofiber membranes with robust superhydrophobicity for direct contact membrane distillation. Environmental science & technology, 48(11), 6335-6341.
Series/Report no.: Environmental science & technology
Abstract: The practical application of membrane distillation (MD) for water purification is hindered by the absence of desirable membranes that can fulfill the special requirements of the MD process. Compared to the membranes fabricated by other methods, nanofiber membranes produced by electrospinning are of great interest due to their high porosity, low tortuosity, large surface pore size, and high surface hydrophobicity. However, the stable performance of the nanofiber membranes in the MD process is still unsatisfactory. Inspired by the unique structure of the lotus leaf, this study aimed to develop a strategy to construct superhydrophobic composite nanofiber membranes with robust superhydrophobicity and high porosity suitable for use in MD. The newly developed membrane consists of a superhydrophobic silica-PVDF composite selective skin formed on a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) porous nanofiber scaffold via electrospinning. This fabrication method could be easily scaled up due to its simple preparation procedures. The effects of silica diameter and concentration on membrane contact angle, sliding angle, and MD performance were investigated thoroughly. For the first time, the direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) tests demonstrate that the newly developed membranes are able to present stable high performance over 50 h of testing time, and the superhydrophobic selective layer exhibits excellent durability in ultrasonic treatment and a continuous DCMD test. It is believed that this novel design strategy has great potential for MD membrane fabrication.
URI: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/105894
http://hdl.handle.net/10220/20947
DOI: 10.1021/es405795s
Schools: School of Civil and Environmental Engineering 
Research Centres: Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute 
Singapore Membrane Technology Centre 
Rights: © 2014 American Chemical Society. This is the author created version of a work that has been peer reviewed and accepted for publication by Environmental Science & Technology. It incorporates referee’s comments but changes resulting from the publishing process, such as copyediting, structural formatting, may not be reflected in this document. The published version is available at: [http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/es405795s].
Fulltext Permission: open
Fulltext Availability: With Fulltext
Appears in Collections:CEE Journal Articles
NEWRI Journal Articles

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