Covalent codeposition modification of reverse osmosis membranes with Noria and zwitterionic copolymers for antifouling in reclaimed water production

Reverse osmosis (RO) has been recognized as a promising technology to treat municipal wastewater. However, membrane fouling is still an important hurdle in the RO membrane operation. The present work demonstrates the facile and high-effective fabrication of a robust antifouling RO membrane by the codeposition of Noria with zwitterionic copolymers. This modified coating is irreversibly bound to the membrane during typical membrane operational conditions. Compared with the pristine membrane, the modified membrane (that is, the TFC-Co-8 membrane) possesses improved hydrophilicity, reduced roughness, and lower negative charge. Our results illustrate that the TFC-Co-8 membrane displays an excellent antifouling property with milder flux decline and higher flux recovery during protein and alginate filtrations. Additionally, the TFC-Co-8 membrane is applied in the treatment of actual secondary effluent and also exhibits a superior antifouling property, which is consistent with the results of the simulated solution. This work provides a reference for the design of antifouling RO membrane in reclaimed water production.