Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
PSf/Ag
in
type I
PSf/Ag
ex
type I
PSf type I
1 µm
2 µm
PSf/Ag
in
type II
PSf/Ag
ex
type II
PSf type II
400 nm
PSf/Ag
in
type III
PSf/Ag
ex
type III
PSf type III
1 µm
FIGURE 13.1
(See color insert.)
Example of nanomaterials that could be afixed to a membrane surface. (From Figure 5.1 in
Chapter 5, Multifunctional Nanomaterial-Enabled Membranes for Water Treatment, pp. 59-75, by Tarabara, V.V.
Reprinted from
Nanotechnology Applications for Clean Water
, Diallo, M.; Duncan, J.; Savage, N.; Street, A.; Sustich,
R., editors, Elsevier Ltd., Kidlington, UK (2009). Reprinted with permission of Elsevier.)
Outside of water treatment, some uses of fullerenes are in face creams, antiaging creams,
and sporting goods such as bicycles and tennis rackets.
A potential use of fullerenes for water treatment is for membrane biofouling control.
Hotze said that the fullerene coatings could have an important impact on water treatment.
He noted that photosensitization chemistry could provide avenues to novel advanced oxi-
dation processes. The antimicrobial properties of fullerenes could also be used for surface
coatings on membranes. Another potential application would be for membrane biofouling
control.
13.11.2 Nanocomposite RO
J. Green [22] reported about the use nanotechnology with RO membranes. He noted the
invention by University of California, Los Angeles, researchers of a nanocomposite brack-
ish RO element that has inorganic superhydrophilic nanoparticles encapsulated in a poly-
amide thin-ilm element. This membrane features high lux, fouling resistance, and high
salt rejection. Figure 13.2 [22] shows the difference in fouling between commercial SWRO
elements, and those combining nanocomposite materials. The standard-type SWRO is on
the right side and the nanomaterial-modiied SWRO is on the left side of the igure.
In the context of desalination, possible advantages of an RO membrane with nanotech-
nology could include the following:
• Lower energy use
• Reduce capital cost/facility footprint
