Engineering superhydrophobic surface on poly(vinylidene fluoride) nanofiber membranes for direct contact membrane distillation
TL;DR: In this article, two types of super-hydrophobic PVDF nanofiber membranes, integrally modified and surface-modified PVDF membranes, have been successfully fabricated by electro-spinning followed by surface modification, which includes dopamine surface activation, silver nanoparticle deposition and hydrophobic treatment.
About: This article is published in Journal of Membrane Science.The article was published on 2013-08-01. It has received 298 citations till now. The article focuses on the topics: Membrane & Membrane distillation.
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TL;DR: An overview of recent progress on the application and modification of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes can be found in this article, where two major problems of PVDF membranes in applications, namely membrane fouling and membrane wetting, are comprehensively reviewed.
1,233 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a review summarizes the important and interesting recent developments in Membrane Distillation from the perspectives of membrane fabrication, heat and mass transport phenomenon, nontraditional fouling, module fabrication and applications.
819 citations
Additional excerpts
...6 [42] Electrospinning followed by hot pressing PVDF-HFP 58 ± 5 0....
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a review on the preparation and application of electrospun nanofiber membranes as the barrier layer for water treatment, with emphasis on the reinforcement and post-treatment of electro-spun polymer membranes.
742 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors summarize the recent advances in Membrane distillation and provide perspectives for its future R&D, including membrane materials, module configurations, process applications and hybrid systems.
716 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examine the key challenges facing membrane distillation and explore the opportunities for improving membrane membranes and system design, highlighting the outlook for MD desalination, highlighting challenges and key areas for future research and development.
Abstract: Energy-efficient desalination and water treatment technologies play a critical role in augmenting freshwater resources without placing an excessive strain on limited energy supplies. By desalinating high-salinity waters using low-grade or waste heat, membrane distillation (MD) has the potential to increase sustainable water production, a key facet of the water-energy nexus. However, despite advances in membrane technology and the development of novel process configurations, the viability of MD as an energy-efficient desalination process remains uncertain. In this review, we examine the key challenges facing MD and explore the opportunities for improving MD membranes and system design. We begin by exploring how the energy efficiency of MD is limited by the thermal separation of water and dissolved solutes. We then assess the performance of MD relative to other desalination processes, including reverse osmosis and multi-effect distillation, comparing various metrics including energy efficiency, energy quality, and susceptibility to fouling. By analyzing the impact of membrane properties on the energy efficiency of an MD desalination system, we demonstrate the importance of maximizing porosity and optimizing thickness to minimize energy consumption. We also show how ineffective heat recovery and temperature polarization can limit the energetic performance of MD and how novel process variants seek to reduce these inefficiencies. Fouling, scaling, and wetting can have a significant detrimental impact on MD performance. We outline how novel membrane designs with special surface wettability and process-based fouling control strategies may bolster membrane and process robustness. Finally, we explore applications where MD may be able to outperform established desalination technologies, increasing water production without consuming large amounts of electrical or high-grade thermal energy. We conclude by discussing the outlook for MD desalination, highlighting challenges and key areas for future research and development.
665 citations
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11,534 citations
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TL;DR: Inspired by the composition of adhesive proteins in mussels, dopamine self-polymerization is used to form thin, surface-adherent polydopamine films onto a wide range of inorganic and organic materials, including noble metals, oxides, polymers, semiconductors, and ceramics.
Abstract: We report a method to form multifunctional polymer coatings through simple dip-coating of objects in an aqueous solution of dopamine. Inspired by the composition of adhesive proteins in mussels, we used dopamine self-polymerization to form thin, surface-adherent polydopamine films onto a wide range of inorganic and organic materials, including noble metals, oxides, polymers, semiconductors, and ceramics. Secondary reactions can be used to create a variety of ad-layers, including self-assembled monolayers through deposition of long-chain molecular building blocks, metal films by electroless metallization, and bioinert and bioactive surfaces via grafting of macromolecules.
8,669 citations
TL;DR: It is shown here for the first time that the interdependence between surface roughness, reduced particle adhesion and water repellency is the keystone in the self-cleaning mechanism of many biological surfaces.
Abstract: The microrelief of plant surfaces, mainly caused by epicuticular wax crystalloids, serves different purposes and often causes effective water repellency. Furthermore, the adhesion of contaminating particles is reduced. Based on experimental data carried out on microscopically smooth (Fagus sylvatica L., Gnetum gnemon L., Heliconia densiflora Verlot, Magnolia grandiflora L.) and rough water-repellent plants (Brassica oleracea L., Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott., Mutisia decurrens Cav., Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.), it is shown here for the first time that the interdependence between surface roughness, reduced particle adhesion and water repellency is the keystone in the self-cleaning mechanism of many biological surfaces. The plants were artificially contaminated with various particles and subsequently subjected to artificial rinsing by sprinkler or fog generator. In the case of water-repellent leaves, the particles were removed completely by water droplets that rolled off the surfaces independent of their chemical nature or size. The leaves of N. nucifera afford an impressive demonstration of this effect, which is, therefore, called the “Lotus-Effect” and which may be of great biological and technological importance.
5,822 citations
TL;DR: The importance of roughness and water-repellency, respectively, as the basis of an anti-adhesive, self-cleaning surface, in comparison to other functions of microstructures, is discussed.
2,482 citations