Tuning the primary selective nanochannels of MOF thin-film nanocomposite nanofiltration membranes for efficient removal of hydrophobic endocrine disrupting compounds

Highlights

• PA layer properties tune the primary nanochannels in MIL-101(Cr) TFN NF membranes.

• The dense PA layer induced transition of primary nanochannels of TFN NF membranes.

• Nanochannels around MOF contributed to the improved flux with a loose PA structure.

• Nanochannels in MOFs dominated the separation performance with a dense PA structure.

Abstract

Metal organic framework (MOF) incorporated thin-film nanocomposite (TFN) membranes have the potential to enhance the removal of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs). In MOF-TFN membranes, water transport nanochannels include (i) pores of polyamide layer, (ii) pores in MOFs and (iii) channels around MOFs (polyamide-MOF interface). However, information on how to tune the nanochannels to enhance EDCs rejection is scarce, impeding the refinement of TFN membranes toward efficient removal of EDCs. In this study, by changing the polyamide properties, the water transport nanochannels could be confined primarily in pores of MOFs when the polyamide layer became dense. Interestingly, the improved rejection of EDCs was dependent on the water transport channels of the TFN membrane. At low monomer concentration (i.e., loose polyamide structure), the hydrophilic nanochannels of MIL-101(Cr) in the polyamide layer could not dominate the membrane separation performance, and hence the extent of improvement in EDCs rejection was relatively low. In contrast, at high monomer concentration (i.e., dense polyamide structure), the hydrophilic nanochannels of MIL-101(Cr) were responsible for the selective removal of hydrophobic EDCs, demonstrating that the manipulation of water transport nanochannels in the TFN membrane could successfully overcome the permeability and EDCs rejection trade-off. Our results highlight the potential of tuning primary selective nanochannels of MOF-TFN membranes for the efficient removal of EDCs.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Porous metal organic framework / Thin-film nanocomposite membrane / Primary selective nanochannels / Nanofiltration / Endocrine disrupting compounds

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Acknowledgements

We appreciate the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 51838009 and 51925806) and Science & Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality (Nos. 18DZ1206703 and 19DZ1204503). We also would like to thank Shanghai Tongji Gao Tingyao Environmental Science & Technology Development Foundation for the financial support.

Electronic Supplementary Material

ƒSupplementary material is available in the online version of this article at https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-021-1474-7 and is accessible for authorized users.

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