Development of novel RO membranes by modifying the physico-chemical structure of commercial RO membranes

• Project/Area Number: 26550062
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Environmental engineering and reduction of environmental burden
• Research Institution: Yamaguchi University
• Principal Investigator: SUZUKI TASUMA 山口大学, 理工学研究科, 講師 (00577489)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2015)
• Budget Amount: ¥3,770,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥870,000); Fiscal Year 2015: ¥1,170,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥270,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥2,600,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥600,000)
• Keywords: 逆浸透膜

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The objective of this study was to develop novelreverse osmosis membranes which are capable of providing high contaminants removal efficiencies and low fouling propensity. In the first year of this project, we focused on the improvement of membrane performance by intentional expose of commercial reverse osmosis membranes by chlorine. However, it was found that chlorine treatment of commercial reverse osmosis membranes negatively influence membrane performance. In the second year of this project, we investigated the influence of polyvinyl alcohol layer on top of polyamide active layer on the fouling propensity. Experimental data demonstrated that the presence of polyvinyl alcohol layer alleviated fouling propensity by humic acid.