Constructing hydrophobic microenvironment in the separation layer by a small molecule for improving reverse osmosis membrane performance

The development of reverse osmosis (RO) membranes with both high permeability and selectivity is a key goal for RO technology, the leading water treatment technology. This work presents a simple and cost-effective method for improving RO membrane performance obviously via introducing a hydrophobic small molecule, benzoic acid (BA), in the polyamide (PA) separation layer. The introduction of BA is achieved by adding it in the oil phase of the interfacial polymerization technology because of its oil solubility, which is pretty simple. The hydrophobicity and self-assembly characteristic of BA could establish hydrophobic microenvironments within the PA separation layer. The hydrophobicity of this microenvironment can reduce the number of hydrogen bonds between water molecules, accelerating the rapid transport of water and thereby enhancing membrane performance. Concurrently, BA as a small molecule could moderately increase the space between PA chains and thus enlarge the free volume of hydrophobic microenvironment region, which is also in favour of the improvement of membrane flux. The as-developed RO membrane possessed both high rejection rate (with a NaCl rejection rate of 98.9 %) and high flux (91.7 L m−2 h−1) under the brackish water testing condition, surpassing the performance of many previously reported membranes, and noticeably, a flux increase of 113 % was achieved by utilizing BA. Besides, the performance showed a good long-term stability. It is worth mentioning that small molecules are generally purchasable and cheap, which is beneficial to the large-scale production. This work showcased the great potential of hydrophobic small molecules in improving PA water treatment membrane performance, paving the way for diverse small molecules to develop PA water treatment membrane with both high permeability and selectivity. [Display omitted] •A strategy to improve the RO membrane performance by using small molecule to construct hydrophobic microenvironment in the separation layer was proposed.•The free volume of separation layer was enlarged by the small molecule (benzoic acid).•The microenvironment constructed by benzoic acid had evident hydrophobic characteristic.•The membrane flux was improved obviously by 113 % to 91.7 L m−2 h−1 and meanwhile a high NaCl rejection of 98.9 % was maintained.