Article
Engineering, Chemical
Muhammad Irshad Baig, Putu Putri Indira Sari, Jiaying Li, Joshua D. Willott, Wiebe M. de Vos
Summary: This study demonstrates the preparation of APS membranes with tunable pore sizes under mild pH conditions based on the complexation of PSS and PEI in acetate buffer coagulation baths. By systematically varying the molecular weight of PEI, buffer solution pH, and concentration of cross-linking agent, the researchers were able to control and optimize membrane fabrication conditions, achieving tight nanofiltration membranes with excellent separation properties.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Muhammad Irshad Baig, Joshua D. Willott, Wiebe M. de Vos
Summary: The APS technique allows membrane fabrication without using unsustainable organic solvents, providing control over membrane pore size and morphology. APS membranes can serve as support for functional coatings like thin PEMs and IP coatings, demonstrating excellent water permeability and retention values for MgCl2, NaCl, and organic micropollutants. Additionally, thin polyamide layers fabricated on APS membranes result in nanofiltration membranes with specific MWCO values.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jere J. van Lente, M. Irshad Baig, Wiebe M. de Vos, Saskia Lindhoud
Summary: Polymer membranes are widely used in water treatment, chemical industry, and medicine. The current standard for membrane production involves the use of unsustainable and harmful organic solvents. A recent method called aqueous phase separation (APS) offers a more sustainable approach for membrane production and allows for easy incorporation of enzymes in the membrane structure. In this study, researchers successfully produced a biocatalytic membrane via APS and demonstrated its functional properties, including enzyme catalysis for antibacterial activity.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Lijie Li, Muhammad Irshad Baig, Wiebe M. de Vos, Saskia Lindhoud
Summary: Natural polyelectrolytes were used to produce more sustainable APS membranes. The desired homogeneous casting solution was prepared by changing the solution pH and monomer ratio of polyelectrolytes. The membrane structure and properties could be tuned by changing the concentration and pH of the acetate buffer.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Muhammad Irshad Baig, Mehdi Pejman, Joshua D. Willott, Alberto Tiraferri, Wiebe M. de Vos
Summary: This research demonstrates the preparation of sustainable and functional HF membranes using the aqueous phase separation technique. By adjusting the composition of the dope solution and coagulation bath, microfiltration-type and ultrafiltration-type membranes were successfully obtained.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Zhenzhen Zhang, Md. Mushfequr Rahman, Ivonne Ternes, Barbara Bajer, Volker Abetz
Summary: This study reports on the development of positively charged isoporous block copolymer nanofiltration membranes with designed soft nanochannels. The membranes were obtained through self-assembly and non-solvent-induced phase separation. A versatile post-modification approach was used to engineer well-defined soft nanochannels. The membranes demonstrated the capability to separate mono-/divalent cations based on their ionic size difference, charge, and energy. The selectivity of the membranes was significantly higher in binary-salt systems compared to single-salt systems. The membranes also showed potential for recovering valuable ionic species from water, such as Mg, which is classified as a critical raw material in Europe.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2024)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Ook Choi, Pravin G. Ingole, Chul Ho Park
Summary: The study introduces a novel strategy to tune the structures of porous membranes via adjusting glass transition temperatures (Tg) and using different external stimulations, leading to improved performance and surface porosity.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Johannes Kamp, Stephan Emonds, Julian Borowec, Maria Adelaida Restrepo Toro, Matthias Wessling
Summary: This study introduces a method for fabricating polyelectrolyte complex membranes using salt dilution induced phase separation, resulting in membranes with different morphologies and separation properties. The precipitation of polyelectrolytes is induced by the diffusion of salt and water in the two-phase region, forming porous PEC membranes.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Moritz A. Junker, Esra te Brinke, Clara M. Vall Compte, Rob G. H. Lammertink, Joris de Grooth, Wiebe M. de Vos
Summary: Polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs) show promise as selective layers in nanofiltration (NF) due to their simplicity, controlled layer thickness, and versatility. Combining two different PEMs in an asymmetric structure allows further optimization. This study combines experimental filtration and theoretical models to describe the effective structure of an asymmetric PEM made of PAH/PSS and PAH/PAA. The obtained membrane properties suggest a distinct layer structure, and there is a fundamental difference in the retention of salt and polyethylene glycol molecules, attributed to different exclusion mechanisms.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Hao Yang, Jinhui Xu, Hui Cao, Jie Wu, Dan Zhao
Summary: Transition metal-based homogeneous photocatalysts offer a wealth of opportunities for organic synthesis, but they can be rare and challenging to immobilize for recycling. In this study, the authors successfully recovered ruthenium and iridium photocatalysts using covalent organic framework (COF) membranes with tunable pore sizes. The recovered catalysts showed high catalytical performance, recovery rates, and permeance in multiple photochemical reactions, and the COF membranes also facilitated the isolation and purification of small organic molecules. These findings have the potential to revolutionize pharmaceutical and fine chemical synthesis.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Stephan Emonds, Johannes Kamp, Julian Borowec, Hannah Roth, Matthias Wessling
Summary: The study demonstrates, for the first time, the fabrication of tubular membranes without organic solvents, utilizing a dry-jet wet spinning process. The addition of glycerol during fabrication influences the phase inversion kinetics, resulting in defect-free tubular membranes with reproducible nanofiltration properties. This promising material engineering strategy motivates further research towards smaller tubular dimensions and hollow fibers.
ADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Jincheng Din, Huiqing Wu, Peiyi Wu
Summary: A facile strategy using one-step water-induced phase separation was proposed for the preparation of composite membranes with polyelectrolytes. By altering the concentration, molecular weight, and type of polyelectrolytes, ultrafiltration membranes with hierarchical structures were obtained, exhibiting high water flux and rejection properties.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Chi Siang Ong, Huang Teik Lay, Navin Raj Tamilselvam, Jia Wei Chew
Summary: The study involved the preparation of an organic solvent-resistant membrane through urethane bonds formation and further cross-linking with BDG for enhanced stability. The cross-linked polycarbonate membranes showed improved solvent resistance with a maximum swelling degree of 6%, as well as better mechanical and thermal stability, and excellent permeance and rejection performance. BDG was demonstrated as an attractive cross-linker for transforming polycarbonate microfiltration membranes towards organic solvent filtration applications.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Guoying Feng, Runkai Su, Zhiguo Yan, Shaoping Li, Man Xu, Cunwen Wang, Yanbo Li
Summary: In this study, polyelectrolyte complex nanofiltration membranes with lower molecular weight cut-off and lower salt rejections were prepared by electrostatic deposition method. The crosslinking steps reversed the charge property of the membrane surface and narrowed the pores of the membrane, resulting in higher rejections for both salts and organics. These results demonstrate the feasibility of using the simple electrostatic deposition method to prepare low molecular weight cut-off nanofiltration membranes for trace organic removal.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Micah Belle Marie Yap Ang, Guan-Wei Huang, Min-Yi Chu, Jeremiah C. Millare, Shu-Hsien Huang, Kueir-Rarn Lee
Summary: Efforts to find efficient wastewater treatment processes are still ongoing due to water scarcity caused by continuous industrialization. This study explored the application of three polyols as aqueous monomers for fabricating nanofiltration membranes for dye desalination. The results showed that erythritol (ERT) was the most suitable monomer, producing a nanofiltration membrane with high water flux, high dye/salt selectivity, and excellent chlorine resistance.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Moritz A. Junker, Jurjen A. Regenspurg, Cristobal I. Valdes Rivera, Esra te Brinke, Wiebe M. de Vos
Summary: Polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM)-based membranes have gained significant attention as alternative nanofiltration (NF) membranes over conventional polyamide-based thin film composite membranes. They offer superior properties such as high chemical resistance and excellent filtration performance. However, these membranes show a strong dependency of their structure and performance on the pH of the filtered solution, especially for membranes based on weak polyelectrolytes.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Anna M. C. Maan, Chantal N. Graafsma, Anton H. Hofman, Theophile Pelras, Wiebe M. de Vos, Marleen Kamperman
Summary: In this study, a two-step adsorption strategy was used to fabricate high-density block copolymer-based antifouling coatings on hydrophobic surfaces, showing better performance compared to one-step adsorbed coatings. The obtained coating effectively suppressed the attachment of both lysozyme and bovine serum albumin due to its dense and homogeneous surface structure, as well as the desired polymer conformation. Moreover, the inherent reversibility of the adhered complex coacervate core micelles allowed for triggered release and regeneration, resulting in full recovery of its antifouling properties. This simple and reversible antifouling strategy holds unique and promising potential for large-scale underwater applications.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Yagnaseni Roy, Remco W. Top, Wiebe M. de Vos, Boelo Schuur
Summary: This study focuses on the recovery of a deep eutectic solvent (DES) used for wood pulping by removing residual hemicellulosic derivatives through reverse osmosis (RO). Xylose and furfural are considered representative hemicellulosic derivatives, and a lactic acid-choline chloride DES is utilized. The rejection of xylose is high in both pure water and organic solvents (such as acetone) using the RO membrane, while furfural is poorly rejected in all solvents. Based on these findings, a separation scheme is proposed to achieve complete mass recovery of each component in the mixture.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Tao Wang, Joris de Grooth, Wiebe M. de Vos
Summary: The structure with a selective nanofiltration layer on top of a catalytic ultrafiltration membrane can treat micropollutants through both rejection and degradation. However, the dense selective layer causes highly concentrated retentate and low oxidant utilization. By changing the membrane orientation, the concentrated micropollutants can be degraded within the catalytic support, and the oxidant rejection can be avoided.
INDUSTRIAL & ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tao Wang, Enrique Serra Bachs, Joris de Grooth, Wiebe M. de Vos
Summary: The in situ synthesis of Fe-0 particles using poly-(acrylic acid) (PAA) is an effective method for fabricating catalytic membranes for advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). By synthesizing Fe-0 nanoparticles in polyelectrolyte multilayer-based nanofiltration membranes, organic micropollutants can be simultaneously rejected and degraded. The chemical stability of the multilayers greatly influences the effectiveness of Fe-0 synthesis, with asymmetric multilayers exhibiting better results compared to symmetric multilayers. The combination of asymmetric polyelectrolyte multilayers and AOPs shows great potential for the treatment of micropollutants.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Lijie Li, Muhammad Irshad Baig, Wiebe M. de Vos, Saskia Lindhoud
Summary: Natural polyelectrolytes were used to produce more sustainable APS membranes. The desired homogeneous casting solution was prepared by changing the solution pH and monomer ratio of polyelectrolytes. The membrane structure and properties could be tuned by changing the concentration and pH of the acetate buffer.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Emad Al-Dhubhani, Michele Tedesco, Wiebe M. de Vos, Michel Saakes
Summary: Electrospinning combined with electrospraying can produce efficient bipolar membranes (BPMs) with enhanced water dissociation performance by introducing MCM-41 as a catalyst, which is of great significance for fuel cell and flow battery applications.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Isaac J. Gresham, Edwin C. Johnson, Hayden Robertson, Joshua D. Willott, Grant B. Webber, Erica J. Wanless, Andrew R. J. Nelson, Stuart W. Prescott
Summary: Understanding the interactions between polymers and surfactants is crucial for optimizing commercial systems. This study tested the behavior of polymer-surfactant systems, revealing that they do not behave like polyelectrolytes in the presence of salt. Additionally, the structure of polymer-surfactant complexes under confinement differs from that of polyelectrolytes.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2024)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Moritz A. Junker, Esra te Brinke, Clara M. Vall Compte, Rob G. H. Lammertink, Joris de Grooth, Wiebe M. de Vos
Summary: Polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs) show promise as selective layers in nanofiltration (NF) due to their simplicity, controlled layer thickness, and versatility. Combining two different PEMs in an asymmetric structure allows further optimization. This study combines experimental filtration and theoretical models to describe the effective structure of an asymmetric PEM made of PAH/PSS and PAH/PAA. The obtained membrane properties suggest a distinct layer structure, and there is a fundamental difference in the retention of salt and polyethylene glycol molecules, attributed to different exclusion mechanisms.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Sam B. Rutten, Moritz A. Junker, Lucia Hernandez Leal, Wiebe M. de Vos, Rob G. H. Lammertink, Joris de Grooth
Summary: Nanofiltration (NF) is a promising technology for treating water sources with increasing micropollutant (MP) concentrations. Understanding the influence of solution composition on filtration performance is important. This study investigated the impact of dominant salts on the removal of trace MPs by commercial hollow fiber NF membranes. The presence of a dominant salt significantly altered MP transport behavior, with a higher mobility of MPs observed in the dNF80 membrane.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Anna M. C. Maan, Anton H. Hofman, Theophile Pelras, Ilan M. Ruhof, Marleen Kamperman, Wiebe M. de Vos
Summary: This study improves the adsorption-based zipper brush by adjusting various parameters, resulting in enhanced antifouling properties. Increasing the hydrophobic/hydrophilic block ratio promotes adsorption, the weak polyelectrolyte blocks at neutral pH and low salt concentration show the best antifouling efficacy, and switching to different antifouling blocks further enhances the antifouling performance.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Tjerk R. Watt, Stefan Peil, Wendy A. Jonkers, Jurjen A. Regenspurg, Frederik R. Wurm, Wiebe M. de Vos
Summary: Polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMMs) are versatile materials for nanofiltration membranes, but their nonrenewable nature raises sustainability concerns. This study proposes lignin as a renewable and biodegradable alternative for PEMM fabrication. Experimental results demonstrate that lignin can effectively replace fossil-based polyelectrolytes, producing PEMMs with excellent nanofiltration properties and stability.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Roman Nickisch, Wiebe M. de Vos, Michael A. R. Meier, Muhammad Irshad Baig
Summary: In this study, polymeric membranes with metal-complexing ligands were prepared using polythiosemicarbazone (pTSC) as the material. The membranes exhibited asymmetric structures and porous properties controlled by the polymer concentration. The pTSC membranes showed efficient removal of silver and copper ions in both batch and dynamic adsorption experiments, and they could be successfully reused after partial desorption of silver ions.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Moritz A. Junker, Jurjen A. Regenspurg, Cristobal I. Valdes Rivera, Esra te Brinke, Wiebe M. de Vos
Summary: Over the past decade, polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM)-based membranes have gained attention in the field of nanofiltration (NF) as an alternative to conventional polyamide-based thin film composite membranes. This study investigates the susceptibility of membrane structure and performance to the pH of the filtration solution for four fundamentally different PEM systems.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2023)