Precise Structural Analysis and Improvement of RO Membranes

In late years, water problems such as occurrence of the extraordinary drought by the global climate change are actualized in addition to shortage of water and water pollution due to a rapid increase of the world population and industrial development, and the expectation to a reverse osmosis (RO) membrane technology increases as a water treatment technique to secure safe and stable enough water resources. The cross-linked polyamide functional layer formed by interfacial polycondensation of the RO membrane has minute protuberances, and it is thought that its configuration, pores, and the state of water in the pores play an important role in membrane performance expression.

In this research, we report the results that performed morphological analysis of protuberances by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and state analysis of water in the pores by neutron scattering measurement and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. The structure of the water-rich polyamide/water system showed that the water clusters are well connected to each other.