Facile membrane preparation strategy to reinforce permeability of polyethersulfone (PES) micro-ultrafiltration membrane for drinking water treatment

To enhance the membrane performance in the field of drinking water treatment, polyethylene glycol (PEG) was blended with polyethersulfone (PES) by the non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) and the reverse thermally induced phase separation (RTIPS) methods to prepare micro-ultrafiltration flat membranes. Characterization of the flat membrane morphology demonstrated that the membrane surface and cross-section structures of the membranes prepared by the NIPS and the RTIPS methods were significantly different. Further, flat membranes prepared by the RTIPS method exhibited superior membrane performance. Then, PES hollow fiber membrane was prepared by the RTIPS-NIPS coupling method. The resultant hollow fiber membrane exhibited excellent permeability and removal efficiency. Furthermore, Hermia’s model showed that the primary fouling mechanism during the hollow fiber membrane filtration process was the complete blocking model. Overall, the facile preparation of the PES membrane opened up a new way for efficient drinking water treatment. Graphical abstract