Nanoimprinting Ultrafiltration Membranes for Non-Chemical Fouling Mitigation

1264276丁超滤膜用于液体分离的性能经常因膜污染而降低。通过严苛的化学处理可以部分去除污染物，导致更多的能源消耗、生产力损失和膜寿命缩短。因此，对于大多数液体分离应用来说，减轻膜污染仍然是一个巨大的挑战。虽然大多数抗污染策略都集中在改变超滤膜的表面化学成分上，但本项目的目标是在超滤膜上使用微米和纳米尺度的图案作为一种非化学方法来减轻活性过滤过程中的污染。要实现这一目标，有两个具体目标：(1)了解加工过程？结构？在不牺牲膜的渗透选择性的情况下，使用纳米压印光刻(NIL)在非对称多孔超滤膜上形成图案的性能关系；以及(2)了解这些表面图案在过滤过程中如何影响膜污染的机理。PI有望推动当前对主动过滤过程中表面形貌如何影响污垢的理解。NIL将用于在不牺牲其渗透选择性的情况下在非对称UF膜的表面形成图案。以前还没有制造出具有微米或纳米颗粒表面的膜。NIL方法适用于所有超滤膜，从而提供了一个定量的物理化学洞察平台，以了解复杂体系中化学和地形之间的相互作用。比较相同化学成分的图案膜和平板膜的污染情况，将有助于揭示表面形貌对膜污染的影响。光刻图案与滤膜的集成将使PI能够在主动过滤过程中控制膜表面和进料液之间的热力学和流体动力相互作用。更广泛的影响。该项目的结果可能会指导一种灵活的非化学方法来生产超滤膜，减少污染，提高能源效率，并有利于广泛的分离技术。该项目的结果将促进我们对主动过滤过程中表面形貌如何影响膜污染的现有知识，这反过来将指导针对特定分离应用的表面图案的设计。拟议的教育影响将利用科罗拉多大学在教育创新和推广方面的特殊基础设施，为各级学生提供新的、鼓舞人心的教育体验，重点是膜技术。其他活动将促进研究生的专业发展，促进科学和工程学科的多样性，并加强K-12的外展。这项建议的最终教育结果是向各级学生提供以膜科学为重点的基本教育，并鼓励他们在科学学科中追求职业生涯。

1264276 DingThe performance of ultrafiltration (UF) membranes used for liquid separations is often degraded by membrane fouling. The foulants can be partially removed by harsh chemical treatment, causing more energy consumption, loss of productivity, and shortened membrane lifetime. Thus, mitigation of membrane fouling remains a grand challenge for most liquid separation applications. While most antifouling strategies focus on modifying the surface chemistry of the UF membrane, this project aims to use micro and nanoscale patterns on UF membranes as a non-chemical approach to mitigate fouling during active filtration. To achieve this goal, the two specific objectives are: (1) to understand the processing ? structure ? performance relationships for creating patterns onto asymmetric porous UF membranes using nanoimprint lithography (NIL), without sacrificing the permselectivity of the membrane; and (2) to understand the mechanism of how these surface patterns affect fouling of the membranes during filtration. The PIs expect to advance current understanding of how surface topography affects fouling during active filtration. NIL will be applied to create patterns on the surface of the asymmetric UF membrane without sacrificing its permselectivity. Membranes with micro or nanopatterned surface have not been previously been fabricated. The NIL approach is applicable to all UF membranes, thus offering a platform for quantitative physico-chemical insights into the interplay between chemistry and topography on colloidal interactions in complex systems. The comparison of fouling between patterned and flat membranes with identical chemistry will shed light on the explicit role of surface topography on membrane fouling. The integration of lithographic patterns with the filtration membranes will allow the PIs to control the thermodynamic and hydrodynamic interactions between the membrane surface and the feed solution during active filtration. Broader impacts. Results of the project may guide a flexible non-chemical approach to produce UF membranes with reduced fouling and improved energy efficiency with benefits for a broad range of separation technologies. Results of the project will advance our current knowledge on how surface topography affects the membrane fouling during active filtration, which in turn will guide the design of surface patterns for targeting specific separation applications. The proposed educational impact will leverage the exceptional infrastructures for innovation in education and outreach at the University of Colorado to provide new, inspirational educational experiences, with a focus on membrane technology, for students at all levels. Other activities will enhance professional development of graduate students, promote diversity in science and engineering disciplines, and enhance K-12 outreach. The ultimate educational outcome of this proposal is to provide the essential membrane-science focused education to students at all levels, and encourage them to pursue careers in scientific disciplines.