Breakthrough Concepts on Nanofibrous Membranes with Directed Water Channels for Energy-Saving Water Purification

技术摘要：这项急切的提议旨在探索一种新型薄膜纳米纤维复合材料(TFNC)聚合物膜的突破性概念，该膜含有用于高通量水净化的直接水通道(例如纳滤(NF)和反渗透(RO))。这种纳米纤维膜与传统聚合物膜完全不同，未经测试，但代表了一种潜在的变革性技术，可用于显著节能和成本效益高的净水应用。这种完全不同的膜设计的两个新概念涉及(1)用高通量功能纳米纤维支架取代传统的流量受限的多孔衬底层，该支架包含具有相互连接的孔洞形态的不对称结构，以及(2)创建更薄、更坚固和功能更强的纳米复合阻隔层，嵌入相互连接的定向水通道。虽然新的膜形式适用于所有的液体过滤，但拟议的研究将集中在涉及纳滤膜和反渗透的净水方面。这种独特的用于超滤(UF)的纳米纤维膜的分级设计和组装的初步实验已经显示出非常有前途的潜力。例如，通过使用亲水性纳米复合材料阻隔层、非对称电纺纳米纤维中间层支架和非织造微纤维载体，这种尚未优化的膜系统的通量速度已经比所有已知的传统UF介质中最好的好3-10倍，而不会失去高截留率和低污染标准。非技术摘要：这项急切的提议旨在研究一种新型聚合物膜的突破性概念，该膜包含纳米纤维支架和纳米复合涂层，用于极高通量的水净化(例如纳滤(NF)和反渗透(RO))。这项研究将使我们能够验证这一革命性的、“高风险-高回报”的概念，并对动态分子水团在受限通道中的传输获得新的见解。这项研究的成功为高通量液体过滤在化工、材料、能源和生物医药行业中的应用提供了实用的手段，可以为社会带来显著的好处。拟议的高通量净水技术可以立即从生活质量和健康问题上获益，并节省能源。例如，人们越来越关注世界各地饮用水水源中新出现的污染物的存在。这些挑战为我们提供了新的机遇，以开发新颖和创新的节能膜产品以及改进的水处理技术。

TECHNICAL SUMMARY:This EAGER proposal aims to investigate breakthrough concepts on a new format of thin-film nanofibrous composite (TFNC) polymeric membranes containing directed water channels for high-flux water purification (e.g. nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO)). Such nanofibrous membranes, radically different from conventional polymer membranes, are untested but represent a potentially transformative technology for significant energy-saving and cost-effective water purification applications. The two new concepts for the radically different membrane design involve (1) the replacement of the conventional flux-limited porous substrate layer with a high-flux functional nanofibrous scaffold containing an asymmetric structure with inter-connected void morphology, and (2) the creation of a thinner, stronger and functional nanocomposite barrier layer, imbedded with interconnected and directed water channels. Although the new membrane format is applicable to all liquid filtration, the proposed research will focus on water purification involving NF and RO. Preliminary experiments on the hierarchical design and assembly of this unique nanofibrous membrane for ultrafiltration (UF) application have already revealed very promising potentials. For example, by using a hydrophilic nanocomposite barrier layer, an asymmetric electrospun nanofibrous mid-layer scaffold and a non-woven microfibrous support, the flux rate of this not yet optimized membrane system is already 3-10 times better than that of the best among all known conventional UF media without losing the high rejection and low fouling criteria. NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY:This EAGER proposal aims to investigate breakthrough concepts on a new format of polymeric membranes, containing nanofibrous scaffolds and nanocomposite coatings, for very high-flux water purification (e.g. nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO)). The research shall allow us to verify this revolutionary and "high risk-high payoff" concept, as well as to gain new insights into the transportation of dynamic molecular water clusters in confined channels. The success of the proposed research can bring significant benefits to society by providing practical means for high-flux liquid filtration applications in the chemical, materials, energy and biomedical industries. The proposed high-flux technology on water purification can immediately reap benefits on the quality-of-life and health concerns as well as energy savings. For example, there are increasing concerns on the presence of emerging contaminants in drinking water sources all over the world. These challenges offer us new opportunities to develop novel and innovative energy saving membrane products as well as improved water processing technologies.