Thin film composite nanofiltration membrane prepared by the interfacial polymerization of 1,2,4,5-benzene tetracarbonyl chloride on the mixed amines cross-linked poly(ether imide) support

•A TFC NF membrane was prepared by the IP of BTC on the amines-crosslinked PEI-based membrane.•The cross-linking by mixed amines of EDA and HPEI can improve the rejection.•Effects of the solvent activation on the TFC NF membranes were investigated by ATR-FTIR, SEM, DBES etc.•The membrane exhibited the methanol permeance of 30.4 L m−2 h−1 MPa−1 with the RB rejection of 90.4%.

A novel thin film composite (TFC) nanofiltration (NF) membrane was prepared by the interfacial polymerization of 1,2,4,5-benzene tetracarbonyl chloride (BTC) on the cross-linked poly(ether imide) (PEI) support via the mixed amines of the linear ethylenediamine (EDA) and the hyperbranched poly(ethyleneimine) (HPEI). Characterized by attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, Raman mapping, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), etc.; it is indicated that the TFC NF membrane is synthesized through the interfacial polymerization between BTC and the terminal amine groups on the EDA-HPEI cross-linked PEI support. The optimal TFC NF membrane exhibited the methanol permeance of 14.2 L m−2 h−1 MPa−1 and a RB rejection of 100%. After the solvent activation of dimethylformamide (DMF) and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), the TFC NF membrane exhibited the methanol permeance of 30.4 L m−2 h−1 MPa−1 and 51.5 L m−2 h−1 MPa−1 with the RB rejection of 90.4% and 74.4%, respectively. Characterized by ATR-FTIR, SEM and Doppler broadening energy spectroscopy (DBES), the effects of solvent activation via DMF and DMSO respectively were investigated on the PEI-based TFC NF membranes.

Graphical abstractTFC NF membrane is synthesized via the interfacial polymerization between 1,2,4,5-benzene tetracarbonyl chloride and the terminal amine groups on the EDA-HPEI cross-linked PEI support. The effects of the solvent activation of DMF and DMSO on the TFC NF membranes were investigated.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload high-quality image (163 K)Download as PowerPoint slide