The use of carbon nanomaterials in membrane distillation membranes:a review

作     者：Sebastian Leaper Ahmed Abdel-Karim Patricia Gorgojo Sebastian Leaper;Ahmed Abdel-Karim;Patricia Gorgojo

作者机构：Department of Chemical Engineering and Analytical ScienceSchool of EngineeringThe University of ManchesterManchesterM139PLUK Water Pollution Research DepartmentNational Research CentreGiza 12622Egypt 

出 版 物：《Frontiers of Chemical Science and Engineering》 (化学科学与工程前沿（英文版）)

年 卷 期：2021年第15卷第4期

页      面：755-774页

核心收录：

学科分类：08[工学] 0817[工学-化学工程与技术] 081701[工学-化学工程] 0703[理学-化学] 

基　　金：The authors are grateful to the EPSRC for funding under the grant number EP/S032258/1. 

主　　题：carbon nanomaterials graphene membrane distillation desalination carbon nanotubes 

摘      要：Membrane distillation(MD)is a thermal-based separation technique with the potential to treat a wide range of water types for various applications and industries.Certain challenges remain however,which prevent it from becoming commercially widespread including moderate permeate flux,decline in separation performance over time due to pore wetting and high thermal energy requirements.Nevertheless,its attractive characteristics such as high rejection(ca.100%)of nonvolatile species,its ability to treat highly saline solutions under low operating pressures(typically atmospheric)as well as its ability to operate at low temperatures,enabling waste-heat integration,continue to drive research interests globally.Of particular interest is the class of carbon-based nanomaterials which includes graphene and carbon nanotubes,whose wide range of properties have been exploited in an attempt to overcome the technical challenges that MD faces.These low dimensional materials exhibit properties such as high specific surface area,high strength,tuneable hydrophobicity,enhanced vapour transport,high thermal and electrical conductivity and others.Their use in MD has resulted in improved membrane performance characteristics like increased permeability and reduced fouling propensity.They have also enabled novel membrane capabilities such as in-situ fouling detection and localised heat generation.In this review we provide a brief introduction to MD and describe key membrane characteristics and fabrication methods.We then give an account of the various uses of carbon nanomaterials for MD applications,focussing on polymeric membrane systems.Future research directions based on the findings are also suggested.