Seyyed Sina Mansouri - Nanotechnology Research Institute, School of Chemical Engineering, Kavosh University of Technology, Mahmud abad, Iran
M Jahanshahi - Nanotechnology Research Institute, School of Chemical Engineering, Kavosh University of Technology, Mahmud abad, Iran
M Peyravi - Nanotechnology Research Institute, School of Chemical Engineering, Kavosh University of Technology, Mahmud abad, Iran
S Khalili - Nanotechnology Research Institute, School of Chemical Engineering, Kavosh University of Technology, Mahmud abad, Iran

In this study, thin film nanocomposite (TFN) membrane was developed using novel polysulfone–Tungsten trioxide (PSf WO3) nanocomposite substrate. The effects of WO3 on the PSf substrate morphologies, hydrophilicity and water permeability were investigated and discussed. The results revealed that the hydrophilicity and the porosity of the substrate were improved upon the WO3 addition, leading to significant enhancement in water flux. TFN membrane was then fabricated by establishing a polyamide layer made of 1,3-phenylendiamine and 1,3,5-benzenetricarbonyl trichloride monomers over the surface of the modified substrate. Compared with the typical TFC and commercial membranes, the TFN membrane prepared always demonstrated much higher FO water Flux without showing a significant increase in reverse solute flux when tested under same conditions. When tested in AL–FS orientation using 2 M NaCl as a draw solution and 10 mM NaCl as feed solution, the water flux of the TFN membrane was higher than that of the typical TFC membrane, respectively.

Thin film nanocomposite membrane, Forward osmosis, WO3 nanoparticles