The fabrication of thin-film nanocomposite membrane for organic solvent forward osmosis via host-guest chemistry of α-cyclodextrin

• Published in: Desalination 2024-04, Vol.574, p.117247, Article 117247
• Main Authors: Wang, Lin, Xiao, Fangkun, Ge, Haochen, Tong, Yunbo, Gao, Congjie, Zhu, Guiru
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Host-guest chemistry; Organic solvent forward osmosis; Polyethylene; Thin-film nanocomposite membrane; α-Cyclodextrin
• ISSN: 0011-9164; 1873-4464
• DOI: 10.1016/j.desal.2023.117247

Organic solvent forward osmosis (OSFO) is a newly developing technology for recovering the organic solvent and concentrating substances. The commercial polyethylene (PE) battery separator is the ideal support for OSFO owing to the low structural parameter, resistance for organic solvents, commercially available and simple preparation process. A novel thin-film nanocomposite (TFN) membrane for OSFO was fabricated on the dopamine (DA)-modified PE support by adding α-cyclodextrin (α-CD) in the polyamide (PA) layer. The inclusion complexes (MPD@α-CD) formed by host-guest chemistry enhanced the stability of the membrane. Because of the Janus path and molecular sieving effect of α-CD, the TFN membrane exhibited superior permeability and selectivity among the recent reports. Moreover, the TFN membrane showed high rejection of Rhodamine B and Oxytetracycline, so it had great potential for solutes concentration. Herein, this work broadens the application of eco-friendly α-CD in membrane field and improves the PE composite membrane for OSFO process. [Display omitted] •PE battery separator can withstand organic solvents and reduce ICP.•α-Cyclodextrin slows down the diffusion of MPD through host guest reactions with MPD.•The ethanol flux of TFN membrane reaches at 3.92 L·m−2·h−1.•TFN membrane show excellent stability and great potential for concentration solutes in organic solution.