Ultrahigh pressure compaction-resistant thin film crosslinked composite reverse osmosis membranes

Jishan Wu, Javier A. Quezada-Renteria, Jinlong He, Minhao Xiao, Yuanmiaoliang Chen, Hanqing Fan, Xinyi Wang, Fiona Chen, Kevin Pataroque, Yara Suleiman, Sina Shahbazmohamadi, N. A. Sreejith, Hariswaran Sitaraman, Marc Day, Ying Li, David Jassby, Jeffrey R. McCutcheon, Menachem Elimelech and Eric M. V. Hoek ()
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Jishan Wu: University of California
Javier A. Quezada-Renteria: University of California
Jinlong He: Sichuan University
Minhao Xiao: University of California
Yuanmiaoliang Chen: Rice University
Hanqing Fan: Rice University
Xinyi Wang: University of California
Fiona Chen: Rice University
Kevin Pataroque: Yale University
Yara Suleiman: University of Connecticut
Sina Shahbazmohamadi: University of Connecticut
N. A. Sreejith: National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Hariswaran Sitaraman: National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Marc Day: National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Ying Li: University of Wisconsin-Madison
David Jassby: University of California
Jeffrey R. McCutcheon: University of Connecticut
Menachem Elimelech: Rice University
Eric M. V. Hoek: University of California

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract In this study, we present a class of thin-film crosslinked (TFX) composite reverse osmosis (RO) membranes that resist physical compaction at ultrahigh pressures (up to 200 bar). Since RO membranes experience compaction at virtually all pressure ranges, the ability to resist compaction has widespread implications for RO membrane technology. The process described herein involves crosslinking a phase inverted porous polyimide (PI) support membrane followed by interfacial polymerization of a polyamide layer, thereby forming a fully thermoset composite membrane structure. We explore a range of phase inversion membrane formation parameters such as PI concentration, solvent-cosolvent ratios, coagulation bath composition, and crosslinking methods in addition to interfacial polymerization reaction chemistry and conditions. Overall, TFX membranes exhibit significantly less compaction compared to hand-cast and commercial high-pressure RO membranes, experiencing less than 10% decline in water permeance and maintaining salt rejection over 99% for NaCl solutions up to 180,000 mg/L with 200 bar applied pressure.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-63639-0

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