폴리에틸렌 글라이콜 다이아크릴레이트 (polyethylene glycol diacrylate, PEGDA) 하이드로젤을 정삼투 (forward osmosis, FO) 분리막의 지지체로 사용하여 고성능의 FO 분리막을 제조하였다. 친수성의 PEGDA를 자외선 조사를 통한 중합 과 그에 따른 상분리를 이용하여 다공성으로 구조화하였고, 매우 높은 친수성을 가진 하이드로젤 지지체를 얻을 수 있었다. 제조된 친수성 PEGDA 지지체 위에 높은 수투과도와 염 선택도를 확보하기 위해서 일반적인 계면중합 방식이 아닌 톨루엔 을 유기 용매로 사용한 계면중합 방식(TIP)으로 선택층을 도입하였다. 제조된 PEGDA 지지체 기반 분리막은 1.0 M NaCl 유 도 용액과 증류수 유입수를 통한 FO 성능 측정에서 상용 HTI 분리막들에 비해서 매우 높은 수투과도와 낮은 염 선택도를 나 타내었다. 본 연구를 통해, 기존의 소수성 지지체를 추가적으로 개질하는 방식이 아닌 새로운 물질과 제조방식을 사용한 FO 지지체의 가능성을 제시하고자 한다.

A highly performing and durable forward osmosis (FO) membrane was prepared using a polydopamine-modified polyolefin (DPO) support via an aromatic solvent (toluene)-based interfacial polymerization (IP). The hydrophobic polyolefin support was uniformly hydrophilized by polydopamine coating, which provided long term operation stability. In addition, a highly permselective selective layer was prepared on the hydrophilic DPO support by the toluene-based IP, which promoted amine diffusion and the subsequent IP reaction. As a result, the prepared DPO-supported TFC membrane exhibited significantly high FO performance, which was ~4.9 times higher FO water flux and ~62% lower specific salt flux than those of a commercial FO (HTI-CTA) membrane in FO mode. Furthermore, its excellent mechanical and chemical stability enabled stable operation.

Development of forward osmosis (FO) membranes with high salt selectivity is a essential issue to realize the FO technology. To improve salt selectivity of the FO membrane, a polyamide thin film composite FO membrane was fabricated by the interfacial polymerization method using aromatic hydrocarbon organic solvents on polyacrylonitrile (PAN) supports. The aromatic hydrocarbon organic solvent accelerated amine diffusion rate toward the organic phase and the subsequent reaction, which can improve membrane performance by fabricating a thin and highly dense basal PA layer. As a result, the prepared FO membrane showed ~1.7 times higher flux and ~4.5 times higher salt selectivity compared to HTI-CTA commercial membrane with 1.0 M NaCl draw solution and DI water feed solution in FO mode.