title: Towards Enhanced Performance Thin-film Composite Membranes via Surface Plasma Modification.
abstract: Advancing the design of thin-film composite membrane surfaces is one of the most promising pathways to deal with treating varying water qualities and increase their long-term stability and permeability. Although plasma technologies have been explored for surface modification of bulk micro and ultrafiltration membrane materials, the modification of thin film composite membranes is yet to be systematically investigated. Here, the performance of commercial thin-film composite desalination membranes has been significantly enhanced by rapid and facile, low pressure, argon plasma activation. Pressure driven water desalination tests showed that at low power density, flux was improved by 22% without compromising salt rejection. Various plasma durations and excitation powers have been systematically evaluated to assess the impact of plasma glow reactions on the physico-chemical properties of these materials associated with permeability. With increasing power density, plasma treatment enhanced the hydrophilicity of the surfaces, where water contact angles decreasing by 70% were strongly correlated with increased negative charge and smooth uniform surface morphology. These results highlight a versatile chemical modification technique for post-treatment of commercial membrane products that provides uniform morphology and chemically altered surface properties.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Sustainability and Innovation, College of Engineering and Science, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia 3030.|Deakin University, Institute for Frontier Materials, Waurn Ponds, Australia 3216.
authors.forename: Rackel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.affiliation: Deakin University, Institute for Frontier Materials, Waurn Ponds, Australia 3216.
authors.forename: Ludovic F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Dumée
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomolecular and Chemical Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia, 3010.
authors.forename: Blaise L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Tardy
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomolecular and Chemical Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia, 3010.
authors.forename: Raymond
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dagastine
authors.affiliation: Institute for Sustainability and Innovation, College of Engineering and Science, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia 3030.
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Orbell
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Manufacturing, Waurn Ponds, Australia 3216.
authors.forename: Jürg A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Schutz
authors.affiliation: Institute for Sustainability and Innovation, College of Engineering and Science, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia 3030.
authors.forename: Mikel C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Duke