Skip to main content
Publications | Persons | Institutes | Projects
[ report an error in this record ]basket (0): add | show Print this page

Chlorine-resistant epoxide-based membranes for sustainable water desalination
Verbeke, R.; Davenport, D.M.; Stassin, T.; Eyley, S.; Dickmann, M.; Cruz, A.J.; Dara, P.; Ritt, C.L.; Bogaerts, C.; Egger, W.; Ameloot, R.; Meersschaut, J.; Thielemans, W.; Koeckelberghs, G.; Elimelech, M.; Vankelecom, I.F.J. (2021). Chlorine-resistant epoxide-based membranes for sustainable water desalination. Environmental Science & Technology Letters 8(9): 818-824. https://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.estlett.1c00515
In: Environmental Science & Technology Letters. AMER CHEMICAL SOC: Washington. ISSN 2328-8930, more
Peer reviewed article  

Available in  Authors 

Authors  Top 
  • Verbeke, R., more
  • Davenport, D.M., more
  • Stassin, T., more
  • Eyley, S., more
  • Dickmann, M.
  • Cruz, A.J., more
  • Dara, P., more
  • Ritt, C.L.
  • Bogaerts, C., more
  • Egger, W.
  • Ameloot, R., more
  • Meersschaut, J., more
  • Thielemans, W., more
  • Koeckelberghs, G.
  • Elimelech, M.
  • Vankelecom, I.F.J., more

Abstract
    The hypersensitivity of state-of-the-art polyamide-based membranes to chlorine is a major source of premature membrane failure and module replacement in water desalination plants. This problem can currently only be solved by implementing pre- and post-treatment processes involving additional chemical use and energy input, thus increasing environmental, capital, and operational costs. Herein, we report a chlorine-, acid-, and base-resistant desalination membrane comprising a cross-linked epoxide-based polymer-selective layer with permanent positive charges. These novel membranes exhibit high mono- and divalent salt rejection (81% NaCl, 87% CaCl2, 89% MgCl2) and a water permeance of ∼2 L m–2 h–1 bar–1, i.e., desalination performance comparable to that of commercially available nanofiltration membranes. Unlike conventional polyamide-based membranes, this new generation of epoxide-based membranes takes advantage of the intrinsic chemical stability of ether bonds while achieving the polymer and charge density needed for desalination. In doing so, the stability of these membranes opens new horizons for sustainable water purification and many other separations in harsh media in a variety of applications (e.g., solvent recovery, gas separations, redox flow batteries).

All data in the Integrated Marine Information System (IMIS) is subject to the VLIZ privacy policy Top | Authors