Fabrication of fullerenol-incorporated thin-film nanocomposite forward osmosis membranes for improved desalination performances

State-of-the-Art of Polymer/Fullerene C60 Nanocomposite Membranes for Water Treatment: Conceptions, Structural Diversity and Topographies

To secure existing water resources is one of the imposing challenges to attain sustainability and ecofriendly world. Subsequently, several advanced technologies have been developed for water treatment. The most successful methodology considered so far is the development of water filtration membranes for desalination, ion permeation, and microbes handling. Various types of membranes have been industrialized including nanofiltration, microfiltration, reverse osmosis, and ultrafiltration membranes. Among polymeric nanocomposites, nanocarbon (fullerene, graphene, and carbon nanotubes)-reinforced nanomaterials have gained research attention owing to notable properties/applications. Here, fullerene has gained important stance amid carbonaceous nanofillers due to zero dimensionality, high surface areas, and exceptional physical properties such as optical, electrical, thermal, mechanical, and other characteristics. Accordingly, a very important application of polymer/fullerene C₆₀ nanocomposites has been observed in the membrane sector. This review is basically focused on talented applications of polymer/fullerene nanocomposite membranes in water treatment. The polymer/fullerene nanostructures bring about numerous revolutions in the field of high-performance membranes because of better permeation, water flux, selectivity, and separation performance. The purpose of this pioneering review is to highlight and summarize current advances in the field of water purification/treatment using polymer and fullerene-based nanocomposite membranes. Particular emphasis is placed on the development of fullerene embedded into a variety of polymer membranes (Nafion, polysulfone, polyamide, polystyrene, etc.) and effects on the enhanced properties and performance of the resulting water treatment membranes. Polymer/fullerene nanocomposite membranes have been developed using solution casting, phase inversion, electrospinning, solid phase synthesis, and other facile methods. The structural diversity of polymer/fullerene nanocomposites facilitates membrane separation processes, especially for valuable or toxic metal ions, salts, and microorganisms. Current challenges and opportunities for future research have also been discussed. Future research on these innovative membrane materials may overwhelm design and performance-related challenging factors.

Zwitterion-functionalized MIL-125-NH2-based thin-film nanocomposite forward osmosis membranes: towards improved performance for salt rejection and heavy metal removal

Incorporating zwitterion-functionalized MIL-125-NH2 nanoparticles in the rejection layer of TFN FO membranes improves their water/ion separation performance and antifouling ability.

Ceramic-Polymer Composite Membranes for Water and Wastewater Treatment: Bridging the Big Gap between Ceramics and Polymers

Clean water supply is an essential element for the entire sustainable human society, and the economic and technology development. Membrane filtration for water and wastewater treatments is the premier choice due to its high energy efficiency and effectiveness, where the separation is performed by passing water molecules through purposely tuned pores of membranes selectively without phase change and additional chemicals. Ceramics and polymers are two main candidate materials for membranes, where the majority has been made of polymeric materials, due to the low cost, easy processing, and tunability in pore configurations. In contrast, ceramic membranes have much better performance, extra-long service life, mechanical robustness, and high thermal and chemical stabilities, and they have also been applied in gas, petrochemical, food-beverage, and pharmaceutical industries, where most of polymeric membranes cannot perform properly. However, one of the main drawbacks of ceramic membranes is the high manufacturing cost, which is about three to five times higher than that of common polymeric types. To fill the large gap between the competing ceramic and polymeric membranes, one apparent solution is to develop a ceramic-polymer composite type. Indeed, the properly engineered ceramic-polymer composite membranes are able to integrate the advantages of both ceramic and polymeric materials together, providing improvement in membrane performance for efficient separation, raised life span and additional functionalities. In this overview, we first thoroughly examine three types of ceramic-polymer composite membranes, (i) ceramics in polymer membranes (nanocomposite membranes), (ii) thin film nanocomposite (TFN) membranes, and (iii) ceramic-supported polymer membranes. In the past decade, great progress has been made in improving the compatibility between ceramics and polymers, while the synergy between them has been among the main pursuits, especially in the development of the high performing nanocomposite membranes for water and wastewater treatment at lowered manufacturing cost. By looking into strategies to improve the compatibility among ceramic and polymeric components, we will conclude with briefing on the perspectives and challenges for the future development of the composite membranes.

Engineered Zero-Dimensional Fullerene/Carbon Dots-Polymer Based Nanocomposite Membranes for Wastewater Treatment

With the rapid growth of industrialization, diverse pollutants produced as by-products are emitted to the air-water ecosystem, and toxic contamination of water is one of the most hazardous environmental issues. Various forms of carbon have been used for adsorption, electrochemical, and ion-exchange membrane filtration to separation processes for water treatment. The utilization of carbon materials has gained tremendous attention as they have exceptional properties such as chemical, mechanical, thermal, antibacterial activities, along with reinforcement capability and high thermal stability, that helps to maintain the ecological balance. Recently, engineered nano-carbon incorporated with polymer as a composite membrane has been spotlighted as a new and effective mode for water treatment. In particular, the properties of zero-dimensional (0D) carbon forms (fullerenes and carbon dots) have encouraged researchers to explore them in the field of wastewater treatment through membrane technologies as they are biocompatible, which is the ultimate requirement to ensure the safety of drinking water. Thus, the purpose of this review is to highlight and summarize current advances in the field of water purification/treatment using 0D carbon-polymer-based nanocomposite membranes. Particular emphasis is placed on the development of 0D carbon forms embedded into a variety of polymer membranes and their influence on the improved performance of the resulting membranes. Current challenges and opportunities for future research are discussed.