Preparation and characterization of thin film composite membranes modified with amine-functionalized β-cyclodextrins

This article describes the preparation and characterization of thin film composite (TFC) membranes for the treatment of water by desalination and removal of organic pollutants. The TFC membranes were prepared using trimesoyl chloride and m-phenyldiamine. Amine-functionalized β-cyclodextrins (CDs) were added to modify membrane flux and rejection. Contact angle measurements demonstrate that the incorporation of the functionalized CDs increased the hydrophilicity of the membrane. All the modified membranes showed improved fluxes with a maximum of 20 L m^-2 h^-1 compared to 5.59 L m^-2 h ^-1 for the unmodified membranes at a pressure of 100 psi. Further, improved fluxes and salt rejections were achieved (maximum NaCl and Na ₂SO₄ salt rejections were 86% and 94.7%, respectively). Thus, the incorporation of functionalized CDs into TFC membranes improves both the hydrophilicity for minimizing fouling and the rejection of salts without loss of flux.