Tuning anti-adhesion ability of membrane for a membrane bioreactor by thermodynamic analysis.
Developing strategies that allow tuning anti-adhesion ability of membranes in membrane bioreactors (MBRs) is of primary interest in membrane fouling research. In this study, interaction energies between foulants and membrane in three different interaction scenarios were systematically assessed based on thermodynamic methods. It was found that, membrane surface electron donor tension (γ(-)) rather than surface hydrophilicity was a more reliable indicator to predict adsorptive fouling. The interaction energy would be continuously repulsive in the initial range of separation distance when membrane γ(-) is higher than a critical value, suggesting that designing membrane with γ(-) higher than a critical value would confer membrane with high anti-adhesion ability. It was also found that, zeta potential on the membrane surface exerted certain effects on adsorptive fouling. This study proposed a novel strategy regarding adjusting membrane γ(-) to tune anti-adhesion ability of membrane, and also offered a thermodynamic theoretical background to this strategy.
College of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, PR China.
Qian
Q
Lei
College of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, PR China.
Fengquan
F
Li
College of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, PR China.
Liguo
L
Shen
College of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, PR China.
Lining
L
Yang
Department of Chemical Engineering, Lakehead University, 955 Oliver Road, Thunder Bay, Ontario P7B5E1, Canada.
Bao-Qiang
BQ
Liao
College of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, PR China. Electronic address: jaylin1978@163.com.
Hongjun
H
Lin
D019149:Bioreactors; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D013499:Surface Properties; D013500:Surface Tension; D013816:Thermodynamics; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods
D008567:Membranes, Artificial
Electron donor tension; Interfacial interaction; Membrane bioreactor; Membrane fouling; Zeta potential