EAGER: Ion Absorbing Microfiltration Membranes: A New Approach to Water Treatment and Desalination

EAGER：离子吸收微滤膜：水处理和海水淡化的新方法

• 批准号: 0948485
• 负责人: William Goddard
• 金额: $ 13万
• 依托单位: California Institute of Technology
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2009-09-01 至 2011-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0948485&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: EAGER; Ion; Absorbing; Microfiltration; Membranes

0948485GoddardThe overall objective of this EArly-concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER) project is to develop low-pressure (0.2-3.0 bar) ion absorbing microfiltration membranes that can reversibly bind and release dissolved anions/cations by intermittently backwashing the membrane hollow fibers with acidic/basic solutions. This new filtration technology would replace current water treatment/desalination technologies utilizing reverse osmosis (RO), which is energy-intensive due to the large pressure (40-70 bar) needed to force water to flow against the natural osmotic pressure of saline water while overcoming the hydraulic resistance of an RO membrane. In addition, ion absorbing microfiltration membranes would permit the selective removal of specific ions with high water recovery and much reduced waste volumes. To achieve this objective, we propose to exploit recent advances in nanomaterial synthesis, characterization and modeling to: 1. Design and synthesize low-cost hyperbranched macromolecules with high molar mass (10-100 nm) that can be used as high capacity, selective and recyclable ligands for cations and anions in aqueous solutions; 2. Develop a new generation of low-pressure filtration membranes for water treatment and desalination by embedding and/or covalently attaching these ion-absorbing hyperbranched macromolecules onto hollow polymeric fibers. This exploratory research project will require 12 months for its completion. It will consist of proof-of-concept experiments to synthesize ion-absorbing hollow-fibers (IAHF) that can bind and release cations (Na+, Ca2+and Mg2+) and anions (Cl- and SO4 2-) by washing the fibers with acidic/basic solutions. These IAHF will serve as the building blocks for the low-pressure ion absorbing microfiltration membranes. We will initially use (i) low-cost hyperbranched macromolecules and (ii) poly(vinylidene) fluoride (PVDF) as building blocks for the IAHF. The proposed research activities will be structured around two tasks: 1. Task 1: Synthesis and Characterization of Ion-Selective Hyperbranched (ISH) Macromolecules 2. Task 2: Synthesis and Characterization of Hollow-Fibers with Embedded ISH Macromolecules We anticipate the successful completion of this project to provide the proof-of-concept data needed to design and fabricate low-pressure membranes for water treatment and desalination. The development and commercialization of such membranes would have a transformative impact on water treatment and desalination. This project will also provide training opportunities to a post-doctoral research fellow.

这个早期概念探索性研究补助金(AGER)项目的总体目标是开发低压(0.2-3.0bar)离子吸收微滤膜，这种膜可以通过间歇性地用酸性/碱性溶液反冲洗膜中空纤维来可逆地结合和释放溶解的阴离子/阳离子。这种新的过滤技术将取代目前使用反渗透(RO)的水处理/海水淡化技术，反渗透(RO)是能源密集型的，因为需要巨大的压力(40-70bar)迫使水在盐水的自然渗透压力下流动，同时克服反渗透膜的水力阻力。此外，离子吸收微滤膜将允许选择性地去除特定的离子，具有高的水回收率和大大减少的废物体积。为了实现这一目标，我们建议利用纳米材料合成、表征和模拟方面的最新进展：1.设计和合成低成本的高摩尔质量(10-100 nm)的超支化大分子，作为高容量、选择性和可回收的水溶液中阳离子和阴离子的配位体；2.通过将这些吸附离子的超支化大分子嵌入和/或共价连接到中空聚合物纤维上，开发新一代用于水处理和海水淡化的低压滤膜。这项探索性研究项目将需要12个月的时间才能完成。它将包括概念验证实验，以合成离子吸收中空纤维(IAHF)，它可以通过用酸性/碱性溶液洗涤纤维来结合和释放阳离子(Na+、Ca2+和Mg2+)和阴离子(Cl2-和SO42-)。这些IAHF将作为构建低压离子吸收微滤膜的基础。我们将首先使用(I)低成本的超支化大分子和(Ii)聚偏二氟乙烯(PVDF)作为IAHF的构建块。拟议的研究活动将围绕两项任务展开：1.任务1：离子选择性超支化(ISH)大分子的合成和表征2.任务2：嵌入ISH大分子的中空纤维的合成和表征我们期待这个项目的成功完成，为设计和制造用于水处理和海水淡化的低压膜提供所需的概念验证数据。这种膜的开发和商业化将对水处理和海水淡化产生变革性的影响。该项目还将为博士后研究员提供培训机会。