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    Antifouling Thin-Film Composite Membranes by Controlled Architecture of Zwitterionic Polymer Brush Layer

    Year: 2017

    Journal: Environ. Sci. Technol., Volume 51, FEB 21, page 2161–2169

    Authors: Liu, Caihong; Lee, Jongho; Ma, Jun; Elimelech, Menachem

    Organizations: Department of Defense through the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) [ER-2217]; China Scholarship Council (CSC) Graduate fellowship

    In this study, we demonstrate a highly antifouling thin-film composite (TFC) membrane by grafting a zwitterionic polymer brush via atom-transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), a controlled, environmentally benign chemical process. Initiator molecules for polymerization were immobilized on the membrane surface by bioinspired catechol chemistry, leading to the grafting of a dense zwitterionic polymer brush layer. Surface characterization revealed that the modified membrane exhibits reduced surface roughness, enhanced hydrophilicity, and lower surface charge. Chemical force microscopy demonstrated that the modified membrane displayed " foulant-membrane interaction forces that were 1 order of magnitude smaller than those of the pristine TFC membrane. The excellent fouling resistance imparted by the zwitterionic brush layer was further demonstrated by significantly reduced adsorption of proteins and bacteria. In addition, forward osmosis fouling experiments with a feed solution containing a mixture of organic foulants (bovine-serum albumin, alginate, and natural organic matter) indicated that the modified membrane exhibited significantly lower water flux decline compared to the pristine TFC membrane. The controlled architecture of the zwitterionic polymer brush via ATRP has the potential for a facile antifouling modification of a wide range of water treatment membranes without compromising intrinsic transport properties.
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