Enhanced Hydrophobic Double-Layer Nanofibers Membranes for Direct Contact Membrane Distillation

Abstract

There are several uses for electrospun nanofiber membranes because of their unique properties. Electrospinning, under suitable conditions, has allowed for the successful fabrication of nanofibrous membranes. This research, a dual-layer membrane was prepared and applied in a direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) system. Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) based electrospun nanofibers comprised the initial (base) layer. Hydrophobic electrospun nanofibers made from polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) comprised the second (top) layer. The analysis was carried out using contact angle measurements and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for the morphology and wetting of a series of two-layer nanofiber membranes that were made with different percentages of PAN: PMMA. The study examined how the permeate flux was affected by changes in feed concentration, feed temperature, and feed flow rate. and optimized within a logical framework. These included feed inlet temperatures between 35 and 55 oC, salt concentrations between 70,000 and 210,000 ppm, and rates of supply flow of 0.2, 0.4, and 0.6 L/min. DCMD findings for the (25 PAN:75PMMA) membrane displayed that the amount of salt it rejected was better than 99.356% with flux 51.872 kg/m2.h and a penetrate through conductivity lower down 334 µs/cm when performed under optimally supplied conditions (i.e., 70 g/L; 0.6 L/min; and 55°C).

Keywords

• desalination
• direct contact membrane distillation
• hydrophobic electrospun nonwoven nanofibers