Influence of Silane Treatment on CNM/PAC/PVDF Properties and Performance for Water Desalination by VMD
Vacuum membrane distillation (VMD) is a promising process for water desalination. However, it suffers some obstacles, such as fouling and wetting, due to the inadequate hydrophobicity of the membrane and high vacuum pressure on the permeate side. Therefore, improving surface hydrophobicity and rough...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-04-01
|
| Series: | Membranes |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0375/15/4/104 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850143646514413568 |
|---|---|
| author | Samraa R. Khaleel Salah S. Ibrahim Alessandra Criscuoli Alberto Figoli Dahiru U. Lawal Qusay F. Alsalhy |
| author_facet | Samraa R. Khaleel Salah S. Ibrahim Alessandra Criscuoli Alberto Figoli Dahiru U. Lawal Qusay F. Alsalhy |
| author_sort | Samraa R. Khaleel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Vacuum membrane distillation (VMD) is a promising process for water desalination. However, it suffers some obstacles, such as fouling and wetting, due to the inadequate hydrophobicity of the membrane and high vacuum pressure on the permeate side. Therefore, improving surface hydrophobicity and roughness is important. In this study, the effect of 1H,1H,2H,2H-Perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane (PFTES) on the morphology and performance of CNM/PAC/PVDF membranes at various concentrations was investigated for the first time. Membrane characteristics such as FTIR, XRD, FE-SEM, EDX, contact angle, and hydrophobicity before and after modification were analyzed and tested using VMD for water desalination. The results showed that the membrane coated with 1 wt.% PFTES had a higher permeate flux and lower rejection than the membranes coated with the 2 wt.% PFTES. The 2 wt.% PFTES enhanced the contact angle to 117° and increased the salt rejection above 99.9%, with the permeate flux set to 23.2 L/m<sup>2</sup>·h and at a 35 g/L NaCl feed solution, 65 °C feed temperature, a 0.6 L/min feed flow rate, and 21 kPa (abs) vacuum pressure. This means that 2 wt.% PFTES-coated PVDF membranes exhibited slightly lower permeate flux with higher hydrophobicity, salt rejection, and stability over long-term operation. These outstanding results indicate the potential of the novel CNM/PAC/PVDF/PFTES membranes for saline water desalination. Moreover, this study presents useful guidance for the enhancement of membrane structures and physical properties in the field of saline water desalination using porous CNM/PAC/PVDF/PFTES membranes. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-95b26dd5a2b047458e147de31f9c291d |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2077-0375 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Membranes |
| spelling | doaj-art-95b26dd5a2b047458e147de31f9c291d2025-08-20T02:28:37ZengMDPI AGMembranes2077-03752025-04-0115410410.3390/membranes15040104Influence of Silane Treatment on CNM/PAC/PVDF Properties and Performance for Water Desalination by VMDSamraa R. Khaleel0Salah S. Ibrahim1Alessandra Criscuoli2Alberto Figoli3Dahiru U. Lawal4Qusay F. Alsalhy5Membrane Technology Research Unit, Chemical Engineering Department, University of Technology-Iraq, Alsinaa Street 52, Baghdad 10066, IraqMembrane Technology Research Unit, Chemical Engineering Department, University of Technology-Iraq, Alsinaa Street 52, Baghdad 10066, IraqInstitute on Membrane Technology (CNR-ITM), Via P. Bucci 17/C, 87036 Rende, CS, ItalyInstitute on Membrane Technology (CNR-ITM), Via P. Bucci 17/C, 87036 Rende, CS, ItalyInterdisciplinary Research Center for Membrane and Water Security, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi ArabiaMembrane Technology Research Unit, Chemical Engineering Department, University of Technology-Iraq, Alsinaa Street 52, Baghdad 10066, IraqVacuum membrane distillation (VMD) is a promising process for water desalination. However, it suffers some obstacles, such as fouling and wetting, due to the inadequate hydrophobicity of the membrane and high vacuum pressure on the permeate side. Therefore, improving surface hydrophobicity and roughness is important. In this study, the effect of 1H,1H,2H,2H-Perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane (PFTES) on the morphology and performance of CNM/PAC/PVDF membranes at various concentrations was investigated for the first time. Membrane characteristics such as FTIR, XRD, FE-SEM, EDX, contact angle, and hydrophobicity before and after modification were analyzed and tested using VMD for water desalination. The results showed that the membrane coated with 1 wt.% PFTES had a higher permeate flux and lower rejection than the membranes coated with the 2 wt.% PFTES. The 2 wt.% PFTES enhanced the contact angle to 117° and increased the salt rejection above 99.9%, with the permeate flux set to 23.2 L/m<sup>2</sup>·h and at a 35 g/L NaCl feed solution, 65 °C feed temperature, a 0.6 L/min feed flow rate, and 21 kPa (abs) vacuum pressure. This means that 2 wt.% PFTES-coated PVDF membranes exhibited slightly lower permeate flux with higher hydrophobicity, salt rejection, and stability over long-term operation. These outstanding results indicate the potential of the novel CNM/PAC/PVDF/PFTES membranes for saline water desalination. Moreover, this study presents useful guidance for the enhancement of membrane structures and physical properties in the field of saline water desalination using porous CNM/PAC/PVDF/PFTES membranes.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0375/15/4/104PFTESvacuum membrane distillationmembranecoating layerdesalinationcarbon nanomaterials |
| spellingShingle | Samraa R. Khaleel Salah S. Ibrahim Alessandra Criscuoli Alberto Figoli Dahiru U. Lawal Qusay F. Alsalhy Influence of Silane Treatment on CNM/PAC/PVDF Properties and Performance for Water Desalination by VMD Membranes PFTES vacuum membrane distillation membrane coating layer desalination carbon nanomaterials |
| title | Influence of Silane Treatment on CNM/PAC/PVDF Properties and Performance for Water Desalination by VMD |
| title_full | Influence of Silane Treatment on CNM/PAC/PVDF Properties and Performance for Water Desalination by VMD |
| title_fullStr | Influence of Silane Treatment on CNM/PAC/PVDF Properties and Performance for Water Desalination by VMD |
| title_full_unstemmed | Influence of Silane Treatment on CNM/PAC/PVDF Properties and Performance for Water Desalination by VMD |
| title_short | Influence of Silane Treatment on CNM/PAC/PVDF Properties and Performance for Water Desalination by VMD |
| title_sort | influence of silane treatment on cnm pac pvdf properties and performance for water desalination by vmd |
| topic | PFTES vacuum membrane distillation membrane coating layer desalination carbon nanomaterials |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0375/15/4/104 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT samraarkhaleel influenceofsilanetreatmentoncnmpacpvdfpropertiesandperformanceforwaterdesalinationbyvmd AT salahsibrahim influenceofsilanetreatmentoncnmpacpvdfpropertiesandperformanceforwaterdesalinationbyvmd AT alessandracriscuoli influenceofsilanetreatmentoncnmpacpvdfpropertiesandperformanceforwaterdesalinationbyvmd AT albertofigoli influenceofsilanetreatmentoncnmpacpvdfpropertiesandperformanceforwaterdesalinationbyvmd AT dahiruulawal influenceofsilanetreatmentoncnmpacpvdfpropertiesandperformanceforwaterdesalinationbyvmd AT qusayfalsalhy influenceofsilanetreatmentoncnmpacpvdfpropertiesandperformanceforwaterdesalinationbyvmd |