Collaborative Research: Novel, Energy-Efficient, Self-Cleaning Water Purification Membranes

1403670/1403742弗里曼/埃默里克合作研究：新型，节能，自清洁水净化膜这个合作研究计划之间的马萨诸塞州大学阿默斯特？的聚合物科学与工程计划和德克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校？的化学工程系专注于我们这个时代的重大挑战之一，在工业，农业和市政应用有益的水的节能净化。在将地下水或来自诸如水力压裂的操作的污染水净化成适合于在石油和天然气生产操作以及农业和饮用水应用中使用（或再利用）的水中涉及许多步骤。然而，这些净化步骤中的许多步骤开始为去除水中的颗粒或其它污染物，例如在水力压裂返排水的情况下的油滴。当使用膜过滤器从污水中去除这种颗粒污染物时，过滤器变脏和堵塞，导致性能降低和能耗增加，这是整个膜过滤工业中普遍存在的问题。这项研究计划建立在以前令人鼓舞的联合研究结果之间的马萨诸塞州大学阿默斯特和得克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校显示如何修改膜的表面，使颗粒材料，如油滴或其他颗粒，不太可能坚持到膜表面，随后堵塞膜过滤器。该基础研究计划将探索限制当前膜在城市污水净化和石油天然气生产和勘探活动产生的水净化等操作中的应用的基础科学。这项研究计划的长期产出将是对导致污染物粘附在膜上并堵塞膜的基本机制的进一步理解，以及理解修改膜表面的新方法，使其更能抵抗水中的颗粒污染物。这项研究可能会导致膜具有更高的性能和更长的寿命，以及减少能源消耗，以净化水的多种来源的广泛的application.Professors本尼弗里曼（U得克萨斯州奥斯汀）和托德埃姆里克（UMass阿默斯特）提出了一个合作项目，侧重于基础研究，以制备，应用和表征聚合物涂层，以改善水净化膜污染。 该项目力求在两个主要领域将联合收割机合成和定性活动结合起来：1）开发用于涂覆水净化膜的新型磷酸胆碱（PC）取代的聚烯烃（包括微滤、超滤和反渗透膜），其使用携带高密度PC基团的聚合物，所述PC基团侧挂在聚合物主链上，和2）制备含儿茶酚的磷酰胆碱聚合物，该聚合物结合了联合收割机不结垢的两性离子和表面粘附的交联芳族衍生物。这两个领域都有一个共同的目标，即实现膜性能相对于目前使用的材料的显着改善，这一目标将通过Emrick？的小组和膜表征的努力弗里曼？s组。 所提出的研究响应了对先进的抗污染膜的迫切需要，通过生产在污染水源（例如，含油的水）接近纯水的通量值。合作互动将通过频繁的学生交流和预定的电话会议来进行，以审查进展情况并规划富有成效的互动。该项目应对与水净化相关的关键科学和技术挑战，认识到人口增长和淡水供应日益紧张的结合是美国和世界范围内严重的社会威胁。通过合作研究，可以最有效地加速改进水净化膜的发现，从而能够快速有效地测试专门用于膜涂层和防污的新型聚合物材料。具有更高抗污染性的膜将使用更少的能量来净化，例如，水力压裂返排水、采出水和其他受损水源。更广泛的影响努力旨在使研究和更广泛的科学界受益，重点领域包括：1）领导和组织致力于聚合物膜和水净化的会议和研讨会; 2）为少数民族和身体残疾的个人提供研究和教育机会; 3）追求技术转让战略，促进实验室发现向有助于美国竞争力的产品和工艺的过渡。

1403670/1403742Freeman/EmrickCollaborative Research: Novel, Energy-Efficient, Self-Cleaning Water Purification MembranesThis collaborative research program between the University of Massachusetts at Amherst?s Polymer Science and Engineering program and The University of Texas at Austin?s Chemical Engineering Department focuses on one of the grand challenges of our time, the energy-efficient purification of water for beneficial use in industrial, agricultural, and municipal applications. There are many steps involved in purifying groundwater or contaminated water from operations such as hydraulic fracturing into water suitable for use (or reuse) in oil and gas production operations, as well as agricultural and drinking water applications. However, many of these purification steps begin with removing particles or other contaminants in the water, such as oil droplets in the case of hydraulic fracturing flowback water. When such particulate contaminants are removed from dirty water using membrane filters, the filters become dirty and clogged, leading to reduced performance and increased energy consumption, a problem ubiquitous throughout the membrane filtration industry. This research program builds upon previous encouraging joint research findings between the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and The University of Texas at Austin showing how to modify the surfaces of membranes so that particulate material, such as oil droplets or other particles, are less likely to stick to the membrane surface and subsequently clog the membrane filters. This fundamental research program will explore the basic science that limits the application of current membranes in operations such as municipal wastewater purification and purification of water generated through oil and gas production and exploration activities. The long-range output of this research program would be an enhanced understanding of the fundamental mechanisms that result in contaminants sticking to membranes and clogging them and in understanding novel ways to modify the surfaces of membranes to make them more resistant to particulate contaminants in water. This research could result in membranes with higher performance and longer lifetimes as well as reduced energy consumption to purify many sources of water for a broad range of applications.Professors Benny Freeman (U Texas Austin) and Todd Emrick (UMass Amherst) propose a collaborative project focusing on fundamental research to prepare, apply, and characterize polymer coatings to ameliorate fouling in water purification membranes. The project seeks to combine synthesis and characterization activities in two primary areas: 1) the development of novel phosphorylcholine (PC)-substituted polyolefins for coating water purification membranes (including microfiltration, ultrafiltration, and reverse osmosis membranes) using polymers carrying a high density of PC groups pendent to the polymer backbone, and 2) the preparation of catechol-containing phosphorylcholine polymers that combine non-fouling zwitterions with surface adhering cross-linkable aromatic derivatives. Both areas share the objective of realizing a dramatic improvement in membrane performance relative to materials in use today, and this objective will be met by collaborative interaction between synthesis in Emrick?s group and membrane characterization efforts in Freeman?s group. The proposed research responds to the pressing need for advanced fouling-resistant membranes, by producing coated membrane materials that exhibit water flux characteristics in the presence of contaminated water sources (e.g., oily water) that approach flux values of pure water. The collaborative interaction will operate through frequent exchange of students and scheduled teleconference meetings to review progress and plan for productive interactions.The project responds to the critical scientific and technological challenges associated with water purification, recognizing that the combination of population growth and increasing strain on fresh water supplies represents a serious societal threat in the United States and worldwide. Accelerating discoveries that improve water purification membranes can be accomplished most effectively through collaborative research that enables rapid and effective testing of novel polymer materials prepared specifically for membrane coating and fouling prevention. Membranes with greater fouling resistance would use less energy to purify, for example, hydraulic fracturing flowback water, produced water and other impaired water sources.Broader impact efforts are intended to benefit both the research and broader scientific communities, with areas of emphasis including: 1) leadership and organization in conferences and symposia dedicated to polymer membranes and water purification; 2) providing research and educational opportunities for minority and physically challenged individuals; and 3) pursuing technology transfer strategies that facilitate the transition of laboratory discoveries to products and processes that contribute to American competitiveness.