| Membrane fouling hinders the performance of membrane processes in drinking water, wastewater, and industrial water applications. It is possible to mitigate the effects of fouling through a better understanding of membrane fouling mechanisms. Membrane performance and fouling is governed by interactions occurring at the membrane-solute interface and are dependent upon membrane surface chemistry. Specifically, membrane hydrophobicity has direct implications for the favorableness of adhesion or adsorption of a solute to the membrane surface. Because hydrophobic membranes generally foul at higher rates than hydrophilic membranes, quantification of membrane hydrophobicity is critical to membrane fouling research.; In previous investigations membrane hydrophobicity has been estimated using contact angle measurements. In the current investigation, protocol for measuring membrane hydrophobicity is developed. Using the methodology developed, the hydrophobicity of several commercial RO and NF membranes is quantified. Furthermore, preliminary membrane performance experiments were performed to examine possible relationships between membrane hydrophobicity and membrane fouling. |
