Water-polyamide chemical interplay in desalination membranes explored by ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy
Abstract
Reverse osmosis using aromatic polyamide membranes is currently the most important technology for seawater desalination. The performance of reverse osmosis membranes is highly dependent on the interplay of their surface chemical groups with water and water contaminants. In order to better understand the underlying mechanisms of these membranes, we study ultrathin polyamide films that chemically resemble reverse osmosis membranes, using ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. This technique can identify the functional groups at the membrane–water interface and allows monitoring of small shifts in the electron binding energy that indicate interaction with water. We observe deprotonation of free acid groups and formation of a ‘water complex’ with nitrogen groups in the polymer upon exposure of the membrane to water vapour. The chemical changes are reversed when water is removed from the membrane. While the correlation between functional groups and water uptake is an established one, this experiment serves to understand the nature of their chemical interaction, and opens up possibilities for tailoring future materials to specific requirements.
- Authors:
-
- Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Chemical Sciences Division
- National Inst. of Standards and Technology (NIST), Gaithersburg, MD (United States)
- Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Advanced Light Source (ALS); Univ. of Auckland (New Zealand)
- Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Advanced Light Source (ALS)
- Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Chemical Sciences Division & Advanced Light Source (ALS)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Advanced Light Source (ALS)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists (WDTS); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Chemical Sciences, Geosciences & Biosciences Division; USDOE Office of Science (SC), Office of Workforce Development for Teachers & Scientists (WDTS)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1775396
- Alternate Identifier(s):
- OSTI ID: 1636145
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC02-05CH11231
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. PCCP
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 22; Journal Issue: 27; Journal ID: ISSN 1463-9076
- Publisher:
- Royal Society of Chemistry
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
Citation Formats
Gericke, Sabrina M., Mulhearn, William D., Goodacre, Dana E., Raso, Joseph, Miller, Daniel J., Carver, Lauryn, Nemšák, Slavomír, Karslıoğlu, Osman, Trotochaud, Lena, Bluhm, Hendrik, Stafford, Christopher M., and Buechner, Christin. Water-polyamide chemical interplay in desalination membranes explored by ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. United States: N. p., 2020.
Web. doi:10.1039/d0cp01842b.
Gericke, Sabrina M., Mulhearn, William D., Goodacre, Dana E., Raso, Joseph, Miller, Daniel J., Carver, Lauryn, Nemšák, Slavomír, Karslıoğlu, Osman, Trotochaud, Lena, Bluhm, Hendrik, Stafford, Christopher M., & Buechner, Christin. Water-polyamide chemical interplay in desalination membranes explored by ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. United States. https://doi.org/10.1039/d0cp01842b
Gericke, Sabrina M., Mulhearn, William D., Goodacre, Dana E., Raso, Joseph, Miller, Daniel J., Carver, Lauryn, Nemšák, Slavomír, Karslıoğlu, Osman, Trotochaud, Lena, Bluhm, Hendrik, Stafford, Christopher M., and Buechner, Christin. Mon .
"Water-polyamide chemical interplay in desalination membranes explored by ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy". United States. https://doi.org/10.1039/d0cp01842b. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1775396.
@article{osti_1775396,
title = {Water-polyamide chemical interplay in desalination membranes explored by ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy},
author = {Gericke, Sabrina M. and Mulhearn, William D. and Goodacre, Dana E. and Raso, Joseph and Miller, Daniel J. and Carver, Lauryn and Nemšák, Slavomír and Karslıoğlu, Osman and Trotochaud, Lena and Bluhm, Hendrik and Stafford, Christopher M. and Buechner, Christin},
abstractNote = {Reverse osmosis using aromatic polyamide membranes is currently the most important technology for seawater desalination. The performance of reverse osmosis membranes is highly dependent on the interplay of their surface chemical groups with water and water contaminants. In order to better understand the underlying mechanisms of these membranes, we study ultrathin polyamide films that chemically resemble reverse osmosis membranes, using ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. This technique can identify the functional groups at the membrane–water interface and allows monitoring of small shifts in the electron binding energy that indicate interaction with water. We observe deprotonation of free acid groups and formation of a ‘water complex’ with nitrogen groups in the polymer upon exposure of the membrane to water vapour. The chemical changes are reversed when water is removed from the membrane. While the correlation between functional groups and water uptake is an established one, this experiment serves to understand the nature of their chemical interaction, and opens up possibilities for tailoring future materials to specific requirements.},
doi = {10.1039/d0cp01842b},
journal = {Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. PCCP},
number = 27,
volume = 22,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jun 29 00:00:00 EDT 2020},
month = {Mon Jun 29 00:00:00 EDT 2020}
}
Web of Science
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