Resveratrol-Interlayered Nanofiltration Membranes with Enhanced Permeability and Antifouling Property via Interfacial Polymerization

Nanofiltration (NF) is a pivotal technology in advancing water purification, achieving a harmonious balance between high selectivity and energy efficiency. However, current thin-film composite (TFC) NF membranes often encounter challenges in simultaneously achieving high permeability and selectivity, while exhibiting robust antifouling performance. Herein, we introduce an innovative fabrication approach that incorporates resveratrol (Res) to form a functional interlayer to regulate interfacial polymerization (IP) process for developing a polyamide (PA) NF membrane with enhanced permeability and antifouling property. Ascribing to the hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions between the Res and piperazine (PIP), the aqueous phase diffusion rate of PIP molecules was effectively moderated, thus resulting in a finely controlled formation of an ultrathin (31.3 nm) and low cross-linked PA selective layer. The optimized Res-regulated TFC membrane exhibited a water permeance of 20.0 ± 1.0 L m -2 h -1 bar -1 , which is more than four times higher than that of control membrane. In addition, it presented exceptional ion selectivity for NaCl/ Na 2 SO 4 , with a value of 72.2, which is superior to the performance of most state-of-the-art PA NF membranes. Furthermore, it exhibited excellent antifouling properties during simulated and actual wastewater treatment. This environmentally friendly and cost-effective IP-regulation strategy shows great potential for design and engineering high-performance NF membranes for a wide range of water treatment applications.