Dibasic esters as green solvents for PVDF membrane preparation†

Abstract

Solvent toxicity is a major barrier to sustainable fabrication of polymeric membranes. This study introduces three dibasic esters (DBEs) as alternative membrane fabrication solvents that are biodegradable, non-carcinogenic, non-corrosive, and non-hazardous. The use of DBEs in fabrication processes shifts the monotectic point in the phase diagram of PVDF/solvent systems towards higher polymer concentrations, enabling membrane formation by liquid–liquid phase inversion to produce a bicontinuous structure that confers outstanding performance. The best-performing membrane prepared in this way had an exceptional flux of 42.40 kg m⁻² h⁻¹ and a high rejection rate (>99%) in the decontamination of synthetic nuclear wastewater. Compared to membranes prepared previously using toxic and non-toxic solvents, membranes fabricated in DBEs exhibited superior mechanical performance due to their bicontinuous structure, which effectively distributes external forces throughout the membrane. Moreover, DBEs are cheaper than toxic conventional solvents and are readily available in bulk, making them attractive options for industrial-scale membrane production.