Effective incorporation of TiO2 nanoparticles into polyamide thin-film composite membranes

Abstract

The effectiveness of TiO2 nanoparticles in improving the performance of polyamide (PA) thin-film composite (TFC) membranes has been investigated. PA TFC membranes were prepared by interfacial polymerization with m-phenylenediamine (MPD) and 1,3,5-benzene tricarbonyl trichloride (TMC) where TiO2 particles were added during and after interfacial polymerization. To distribute the TiO2 nanoparticles uniformly in the PA films, colloidally stable TiO2 sols were synthesized and added to the aqueous MPD solution rather than to an organic TMC solution. Through the use of different incorporation methods, TiO2 particles were located on the top surface, in PA film layer, and in both positions. In the case of dense PA layers, the hydrophilicity of the membranes was significantly improved due to the presence of TiO2 particles, resulting in an increased water flux. On the other hand, the enhancement of water flux was less significant when TiO2 particles were incorporated into a loose PA film that was prepared with additives. In addition, a BSA fouling test confirmed that TiO2 nanoparticles effectively improve the antifouling properties of the membranes for both dense and loose PA films. This effect is possibly due to increased hydrophilicity, covering of the fouling space, and a reduction in surface roughness. (c) 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 43383.