Microstructure Optimization of Bioderived Polyester Nanofilms for Antibiotic Desalination Via Nanofiltration

Overview

Journal Sci Adv

Specialties Biology
Science

Date 2023 May 5

PMID 37146143

Authors

Yunxiang Bai

Beibei Liu

Jiachen Li

Minghui Li

Zheng Yao

Liangliang Dong

Dewei Rao

Peng Zhang

Xingzhong Cao

Luis Francisco Villalobos

Chunfang Zhang

Quan-Fu An

Menachem Elimelech

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The successful implementation of thin-film composite membranes (TFCM) for challenging solute-solute separations in the pharmaceutical industry requires a fine control over the microstructure (size, distribution, and connectivity of the free-volume elements) and thickness of the selective layer. For example, desalinating antibiotic streams requires highly interconnected free-volume elements of the right size to block antibiotics but allow the passage of salt ions and water. Here, we introduce stevioside, a plant-derived contorted glycoside, as a promising aqueous phase monomer for optimizing the microstructure of TFCM made via interfacial polymerization. The low diffusion rate and moderate reactivity of stevioside, together with its nonplanar and distorted conformation, produced thin selective layers with an ideal microporosity for antibiotic desalination. For example, an optimized 18-nm membrane exhibited an unprecedented combination of high water permeance (81.2 liter m hour bar), antibiotic desalination efficiency (NaCl/tetracycline separation factor of 11.4), antifouling performance, and chlorine resistance.

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