Membrane fouling reduction by the incorporation of hydrophilic surface modifying macromolecules in ultrafiltration membrane manufacturing

Abstract

Ultrafiltration membranes have been increasingly used for drinking water disinfection and the removal of natural organic matter (NOM) to avoid the formation of toxic disinfection by-products (DBPs). A key feature of membranes is their decreasing water yield with time or fouling. This study investigates polyethersulfone (PES) ultrafiltration membrane surface modification as a fouling reduction strategy for drinking water treatment applications. The key features of our surface modification are the addition of hydrophi lic surface modifying macromolecules (LSMMs), specially developed in our lab for this purpose. Flat sheet membranes were prepared with different PES concentrations, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and with different concentrations of three types of LSMMs (LSMM200, 400, and 600) via a single-step casting process. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)