Decoration of zwitterionic nanofillers in the membrane structure for enhanced desalination performance and antifouling potential

Since membrane fouling is an inevitable process that deteriorates the performance of the desalination membrane over time, the buildup of the fouling layer overtime necessitate...es membrane cleaning and in the worst cases results in replacing the membrane with new membranes which causes an increase in the cost of the desalination process both in terms of CAPEX and OPEX of the process. Hence developing new membranes with excellent desalination performance is a continuous process that could eventually yield promising membranes for desalination. Therefore, the current project is aimed at developing new polyamide membranes by incorporating zwitterionic nanofillers such as zwitterionic polymers/metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) in the polyamide membrane active layer. Since zwitterionic compounds are known for their antimicrobial potential and have superhydrophilic features both of which are highly desirable features for fabricating antifouling membranes with improved flux. The project aims to synthesize zwitterionic polymers and MOFs by exploring different synthetic organic routes and organic ligands and metal sources. Following the synthesis of the zwitterionic compounds, these compounds will be decorated in the membrane structure such as the membrane active layer, etc. The antimicrobial potential of the zwitterionic compounds as well as the membranes will be evaluated followed by desalination performance analysis. The membranes will be characterized by several membrane characterization techniques to explore both the chemical and physical features of the membranes. The project will result in the publication of the manuscripts in reputed peer-reviewed journals followed by patent applications.