Seven-Channel Polyethersulfone Hollow-Fiber Membrane Preparation with Vapor-Induced Phase Separation

Polyethersulfone (PES) has been widely used to fabricate hollow-fiber ultrafiltration membranes due to its good oxidative, thermal, and hydrolytic stability. Typical PES hollow-fiber membranes with a single bore have limited strength and may break under uneven pressure and vibration during membrane...

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Main Authors: Xiaoyao Wang, Zhiyuan Hao, Rui Huang, Yajing Huang, Huiqun Zhang, Xiujuan Hao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Membranes
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0375/15/6/175
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author Xiaoyao Wang
Zhiyuan Hao
Rui Huang
Yajing Huang
Huiqun Zhang
Xiujuan Hao
author_facet Xiaoyao Wang
Zhiyuan Hao
Rui Huang
Yajing Huang
Huiqun Zhang
Xiujuan Hao
author_sort Xiaoyao Wang
collection DOAJ
description Polyethersulfone (PES) has been widely used to fabricate hollow-fiber ultrafiltration membranes due to its good oxidative, thermal, and hydrolytic stability. Typical PES hollow-fiber membranes with a single bore have limited strength and may break under uneven pressure and vibration during membrane backwashing. Multi-channel hollow-fiber membranes have stronger breaking force due to their larger cross-sectional area, but fabricating them remains challenging due to the difficulty in controlling the phase inversion process. This study uses the vapor-induced phase separation (VIPS) method to fabricate a seven-channel PES hollow-fiber membrane, and the air gap and air relative humidity can help in membrane morphology control. Moreover, carboxylic graphene quantum dots (CGQDs) are first used in ultrafiltration membranes to increase membrane porosity and hydrophilicity. We found that the membrane prepared with a 7.5% CGQD mass fraction, a 10 cm air gap, and 99% relative humidity had the highest flux and porosity; the membrane pore size distribution was concentrated at 72 nm, and the pure water flux could reach 464 L·m<sup>−2</sup> h<sup>−1</sup>·bar<sup>−1</sup>. In the long-term filtration performance test, the membrane can reject more than about 15% TOC and 84% turbidity at 50 L·m<sup>−2</sup> h<sup>−1</sup> flux, confirming its stability for water purification applications.
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spelling doaj-art-fbcc56f66b774c2c883ba84cf8a039082025-08-20T03:27:24ZengMDPI AGMembranes2077-03752025-06-0115617510.3390/membranes15060175Seven-Channel Polyethersulfone Hollow-Fiber Membrane Preparation with Vapor-Induced Phase SeparationXiaoyao Wang0Zhiyuan Hao1Rui Huang2Yajing Huang3Huiqun Zhang4Xiujuan Hao5Guangdong Water Co., Ltd., Shenzhen 518021, ChinaSchool of Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510006, ChinaGuangdong Water Co., Ltd., Shenzhen 518021, ChinaGuangdong Water Co., Ltd., Shenzhen 518021, ChinaGuangdong Water Co., Ltd., Shenzhen 518021, ChinaInner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Green Construction and Intelligent Operation and Maintenance of Civil Engineering, Hohhot 010051, ChinaPolyethersulfone (PES) has been widely used to fabricate hollow-fiber ultrafiltration membranes due to its good oxidative, thermal, and hydrolytic stability. Typical PES hollow-fiber membranes with a single bore have limited strength and may break under uneven pressure and vibration during membrane backwashing. Multi-channel hollow-fiber membranes have stronger breaking force due to their larger cross-sectional area, but fabricating them remains challenging due to the difficulty in controlling the phase inversion process. This study uses the vapor-induced phase separation (VIPS) method to fabricate a seven-channel PES hollow-fiber membrane, and the air gap and air relative humidity can help in membrane morphology control. Moreover, carboxylic graphene quantum dots (CGQDs) are first used in ultrafiltration membranes to increase membrane porosity and hydrophilicity. We found that the membrane prepared with a 7.5% CGQD mass fraction, a 10 cm air gap, and 99% relative humidity had the highest flux and porosity; the membrane pore size distribution was concentrated at 72 nm, and the pure water flux could reach 464 L·m<sup>−2</sup> h<sup>−1</sup>·bar<sup>−1</sup>. In the long-term filtration performance test, the membrane can reject more than about 15% TOC and 84% turbidity at 50 L·m<sup>−2</sup> h<sup>−1</sup> flux, confirming its stability for water purification applications.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0375/15/6/175hollow-fiber membranepolyethersulfonevapor-induced phase separation
spellingShingle Xiaoyao Wang
Zhiyuan Hao
Rui Huang
Yajing Huang
Huiqun Zhang
Xiujuan Hao
Seven-Channel Polyethersulfone Hollow-Fiber Membrane Preparation with Vapor-Induced Phase Separation
Membranes
hollow-fiber membrane
polyethersulfone
vapor-induced phase separation
title Seven-Channel Polyethersulfone Hollow-Fiber Membrane Preparation with Vapor-Induced Phase Separation
title_full Seven-Channel Polyethersulfone Hollow-Fiber Membrane Preparation with Vapor-Induced Phase Separation
title_fullStr Seven-Channel Polyethersulfone Hollow-Fiber Membrane Preparation with Vapor-Induced Phase Separation
title_full_unstemmed Seven-Channel Polyethersulfone Hollow-Fiber Membrane Preparation with Vapor-Induced Phase Separation
title_short Seven-Channel Polyethersulfone Hollow-Fiber Membrane Preparation with Vapor-Induced Phase Separation
title_sort seven channel polyethersulfone hollow fiber membrane preparation with vapor induced phase separation
topic hollow-fiber membrane
polyethersulfone
vapor-induced phase separation
url https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0375/15/6/175
work_keys_str_mv AT xiaoyaowang sevenchannelpolyethersulfonehollowfibermembranepreparationwithvaporinducedphaseseparation
AT zhiyuanhao sevenchannelpolyethersulfonehollowfibermembranepreparationwithvaporinducedphaseseparation
AT ruihuang sevenchannelpolyethersulfonehollowfibermembranepreparationwithvaporinducedphaseseparation
AT yajinghuang sevenchannelpolyethersulfonehollowfibermembranepreparationwithvaporinducedphaseseparation
AT huiqunzhang sevenchannelpolyethersulfonehollowfibermembranepreparationwithvaporinducedphaseseparation
AT xiujuanhao sevenchannelpolyethersulfonehollowfibermembranepreparationwithvaporinducedphaseseparation