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.