{"title":"Tailored design of nanofiltration membrane with MoS2 quantum dots for enhancing selectivity and scaling resistance","authors":"Zhipeng Zhang, Kaiming Fan, Yanling Liu, Xiaoping Wang, Shengji Xia","doi":"10.1016/j.seppur.2025.132520","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Nanofiltration technology is a promising solution for water purification, yet membrane scaling remains a major challenge that compromises both durability and efficiency. In this work, a thin-film nanocomposite (TFN) membrane was fabricated by incorporating molybdenum disulfide quantum dots (MoS<sub>2</sub> QDs) into the aqueous phase of piperazine (PIP) monomers. Diffusion experiments and theoretical calculations demonstrated that the MoS<sub>2</sub> QDs effectively reduced the diffusion rate of PIP due to their hydrophilic and electrostatic properties. As a result, compared to the control membrane, the TFN membranes exhibited a thinner, more hydrophilic, and less dense polyamide selective layer with enhanced electronegativity. The optimal TFN-5 membrane with only 0.0025 wt% MoS<sub>2</sub> QDs doping displayed a water permeance of 17.6 L m<sup>−2</sup>·h<sup>−1</sup>·bar<sup>−1</sup> and excellent selectivity for a CaCl<sub>2</sub>/Na<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub> ratio of 114.8, surpassing most previously reported nanofiltration membranes. Additionally, the TFN-5 membrane also maintained structure and performance stability in simulated mixed salt solution and 120 h continuous operation tests. These improvements endowed the TFN-5 membrane with superior scaling resistance, resulting in only a 12 % flux decline and minimal gypsum deposition after exposure to a high-salinity mixed salt solution. This work shed light on the design and fabrication of high-performance nanofiltration with enhanced scaling resistance for drinking water treatment applications.","PeriodicalId":427,"journal":{"name":"Separation and Purification Technology","volume":"88 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.1000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Separation and Purification Technology","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2025.132520","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"ENGINEERING, CHEMICAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Nanofiltration technology is a promising solution for water purification, yet membrane scaling remains a major challenge that compromises both durability and efficiency. In this work, a thin-film nanocomposite (TFN) membrane was fabricated by incorporating molybdenum disulfide quantum dots (MoS2 QDs) into the aqueous phase of piperazine (PIP) monomers. Diffusion experiments and theoretical calculations demonstrated that the MoS2 QDs effectively reduced the diffusion rate of PIP due to their hydrophilic and electrostatic properties. As a result, compared to the control membrane, the TFN membranes exhibited a thinner, more hydrophilic, and less dense polyamide selective layer with enhanced electronegativity. The optimal TFN-5 membrane with only 0.0025 wt% MoS2 QDs doping displayed a water permeance of 17.6 L m−2·h−1·bar−1 and excellent selectivity for a CaCl2/Na2SO4 ratio of 114.8, surpassing most previously reported nanofiltration membranes. Additionally, the TFN-5 membrane also maintained structure and performance stability in simulated mixed salt solution and 120 h continuous operation tests. These improvements endowed the TFN-5 membrane with superior scaling resistance, resulting in only a 12 % flux decline and minimal gypsum deposition after exposure to a high-salinity mixed salt solution. This work shed light on the design and fabrication of high-performance nanofiltration with enhanced scaling resistance for drinking water treatment applications.
期刊介绍:
Separation and Purification Technology is a premier journal committed to sharing innovative methods for separation and purification in chemical and environmental engineering, encompassing both homogeneous solutions and heterogeneous mixtures. Our scope includes the separation and/or purification of liquids, vapors, and gases, as well as carbon capture and separation techniques. However, it's important to note that methods solely intended for analytical purposes are not within the scope of the journal. Additionally, disciplines such as soil science, polymer science, and metallurgy fall outside the purview of Separation and Purification Technology. Join us in advancing the field of separation and purification methods for sustainable solutions in chemical and environmental engineering.