Polypropylene (PP) is a commercial polymer that is ubiquitous in membrane filtration as feedspacer due to its high chemical stability, low cost and versatile properties. The goal of this project was to develop low-biofouling polypropylene reverse-osmosis (RO) feed spacers, which can be used for desalination, through the functionalization of PP with copper ions since copper is believed to interfere with enzymes involved in cellular respiration and bind DNA at specific sites. Copper-charged polypropylene and unmodified polypropylene feedspacers were used in RO filtration experiments with dechlorinated tap water as feed water in parallel for 48 hours. The results indicated that charged polypropylene could be used as RO feedspacers for numerous applications, such as desalination, and could increase performance and longevity while ultimately decreasing cost. This article appeared in the May/June issue of D&WR magazine.
Polypropylene (PP) is a commercial polymer that is ubiquitous in membrane filtration as feedspacer due to its high chemical stability, low cost and versatile properties. The goal of this project was to develop low-biofouling polypropylene reverse-osmosis (RO) feed spacers, which can be used for desalination, through the functionalization of PP with copper ions since copper is believed to interfere with enzymes involved in cellular respiration and bind DNA at specific sites.
Copper-charged polypropylene and unmodified polypropylene feedspacers were used in RO filtration experiments with dechlorinated tap water as feed water in parallel for 48 hours.
The results indicated that charged polypropylene could be used as RO feedspacers for numerous applications, such as desalination, and could increase performance and longevity while ultimately decreasing cost.
This article appeared in the May/June issue of D&WR magazine.