Development of high performance thin-film (nano) composite membranes for forward osmosis desalination applications- a review

[Display omitted] •Evaluated the effect of TFC and TFN membranes for FO desalination.•Discussed the application studies of both TFC-FO & TFN-FO membranes.•TFN-0.25% membrane possessed super hydrophilic behaviors of 12°.•TFN-ZnO-0.5 membrane displayed superior FO flux rate of 84.7 L m-2h−1.•TFN-FO membranes performed superior over TFC-FO membranes. The impact of different additives on the achievement of FO membranes was designed, reviewed, and highlighted the performances of nanocomposite over traditional membranes with evidenced literature support. This review found that the surface hydrophilicity, roughness, porosity, FO water permeation, solute retention, reverse solute permeates (RSP), and specific reverse salt permeate (SRSP) has been greatly affected by the alteration of a skin layered structure of FO membrane. The review revealed that the TFN-FO membranes showed very high surface hydrophilic properties than the TFC-FO membranes. For example, the graphene quantum dots (GODs) based UiO66-NH2 crystals (GQDs@UiO66-NH2, 250 ppm, TFN-0.25%) membrane had a goniometer (contact angle) reading of 12° which indicated a super-hydrophilic property of nanocomposite membrane over traditional TFC membranes. In addition, the TFN-FO membrane showed the highest FO permeation rate of 84.7 L m-2h−1 for the ZnO-based TFN membrane (TFN-ZnO-0.5) and a very lower RSP value of 0.005 g/L for nylon-6 (N6) substrate containing silica dioxide (SiO2) nano particle (NP) support membrane with polyamide (PA) layer nano membrane (E. Spun N6/SiO2-PA/SiO2 TFN) suggested an excellent FO performance than TFC membranes. This review also suggested that the TFN membranes provided enhanced salt rejection and FO water flux with superior fouling resistant properties which are important parameters to enhance FO performances. Hence, TFN-FO membranes can utilize as a suitable candidate for desalination applications compared to TFC membranes.