Influence of membrane surface properties on initial rate of colloidal fouling of reverse osmosis and nanofiltration membranes

    Authors

    E. M. Vrijenhoek; S. Hong;M. Elimelech

    Comments

    Authors: contact us about adding a copy of your work at STARS@ucf.edu

    Abbreviated Journal Title

    J. Membr. Sci.

    Keywords

    AFM; fouling; flux decline; membrane surface roughness; colloidal; fouling; nanofiltration; membrane surface properties; ATOMIC-FORCE MICROSCOPY; PERMEATE FLUX DECLINE; RO MEMBRANES; POLYSULFONE MEMBRANES; MORPHOLOGY; SPECTROSCOPY; PERFORMANCE; SUSPENSIONS; FILTRATION; CHARGE; Engineering, Chemical; Polymer Science

    Abstract

    Recent studies have shown that membrane surface morphology and structure influence permeability, rejection, and colloidal fouling behavior of reverse osmosis (RO) and nanofiltration (NF) membranes. This investigation attempts to identify the most influential membrane properties governing colloidal fouling rate of RO/NF membranes. Four aromatic polyamide thin-film composite membranes were characterized for physical surface morphology, surface chemical properties, surface zeta potential, and specific surface chemical structure, Membrane fouling data obtained in a laboratory-scale crossflow filtration unit were correlated to the measured membrane surface properties, Results show that colloidal fouling of RO and NF membranes is nearly perfectly correlated with membrane surface roughness, regardless of physical and chemical operating conditions. it is further demonstrated that atomic force microscope (AFM) images of fouled membranes yield valuable: insights into the mechanisms governing colloidal fouling, At the initial stages of fouling, AFM images clearly show that more particles are deposited on rough membranes than on smooth membranes. Particles preferentially accumulate in the "valleys" of rough membranes, resulting in "valley clogging" which causes more severe Aux decline than in smooth membranes. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V, All rights reserved.

    Journal Title

    Journal of Membrane Science

    Volume

    188

    Issue/Number

    1

    Publication Date

    1-1-2001

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    115

    Last Page

    128

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000168939300012

    ISSN

    0376-7388

    Share

    COinS