Layer-By-Layer Assembly of Polyamide Thin Films

 Layer-by-Layer Assembly of Polyamide Thin Films

Elizabeth Stafford, Mahsa Abbaszadeh, Mahla Zabet, Bill Elmore, Santanu Kundu*

Dave C Swalm School of Chemical Engineering

Mississippi State University, MS State, MS, 39762

Polyamide thin films are widely used in desalination membranes to produce clean water from seawater and brackish water. The thin films for desalination membranes are currently synthesized through an interfacial polymerization reaction using trimesoyl chloride (TMC) and m-phenylenediamine (MPD). The interfacial polymerization reactions result in rough film surfaces with variable thicknesses. During the desalination process these thin films are prone to biofouling, meaning foulants become trapped on the membranes as the water is filtered. Foulants can be removed using chlorine, but this leads to further degradation of the thin film membrane over time. Current research is focused on improvements to the thin films, specifically incorporating functional materials including nanoparticles that will resist fouling while maintaining the functionality of the thin film membranes. In this research, polyamide thin films were synthesized using a layer-by-layer approach through spin-coating technique. A better understanding of the spin coating process on the film thickness and morphology was achieved. Attempts on incorporating graphene oxide (GO) nanoplatelets as an additive for the thin films with the goal of making the membranes fouling resistant will be presented.