Surface modification of TFC membranes using PVA and nanomaterials for enhancing fouling resistance

Commercial thin-film composite aromatic polyamide reverse osmosis membranes were modified through the surface coating of polyvinyl alcohol with/without different nanomaterials to improve the commercial membrane fouling resistance. The surface characterization of both neat and modified membranes was carried out using different instruments such as attenuated total reflec- tance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, dynamic mechanical analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, and contact angle measurement. Also, the comparison between neat and different modified reverse osmosis membranes was achieved through water desalination processes at different operation conditions with different salt types. The obtained results were promising, indicating that the modified reverse osmosis membranes exhibited an increase in both the permeate flux and the salt rejection (%), as well as organic matter removal. The evaluation of membrane performance under different test conditions was carried out and compared with control, that is, unmodified neat membrane data. Surface modification has the potential to enable the use of existing thin-film composite membranes for all osmosis applications.