LAUSR.org creates dashboard-style pages of related content for over 1.5 million academic articles. Sign Up to like articles & get recommendations!

Effect of branch structure of thermoresponsive oligomers on draw solution performance in forward osmosis process

Photo from wikipedia

Abstract A series of three types of oligomers—oligo(butylene oxide)m-block-oligo(ethylene oxide)n-block-oligo(butylene oxide)m oligomers (EBs), glycerol-oligo(ethylene oxide)m-block-(butylene oxide)n oligomers (GEBs), and pentaerythritol-oligo(ethylene oxide)m-block-(butylene oxide)n oligomers (PEBs)—having different branch structures were synthesized. EBs,… Click to show full abstract

Abstract A series of three types of oligomers—oligo(butylene oxide)m-block-oligo(ethylene oxide)n-block-oligo(butylene oxide)m oligomers (EBs), glycerol-oligo(ethylene oxide)m-block-(butylene oxide)n oligomers (GEBs), and pentaerythritol-oligo(ethylene oxide)m-block-(butylene oxide)n oligomers (PEBs)—having different branch structures were synthesized. EBs, GEBs, and PEBs had linear, three-branch, and four-branch structures, respectively. These oligomers were tested as draw solutes (DSs) for the forward osmosis (FO) process in order to reveal the effect of their branch structures on the FO performance and DS leakage from the FO membrane. The aqueous solutions of EBs, GEBs, and PEBs exhibited a typical lower critical solution temperature-type phase separation. The FO water fluxes in the case of EB, GEB, and PEB were 4.1–4.8 L m−2 h−1 (LMH) at an osmotic pressure of 28 bar, while the reverse solute fluxes (Js) were 0.79–1.83 gMH at DS concentrations corresponding to an osmotic pressure of 28 bar. Js decreased with an increase in the number of branches in the DS molecule, which improved the FO performance index. The results indicate the importance of introducing a branch structure into DS molecules to design useful DSs.

Keywords: forward osmosis; branch; osmosis process; performance; butylene oxide; oxide block

Journal Title: Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects
Year Published: 2021

Link to full text (if available)


Share on Social Media:                               Sign Up to like & get
recommendations!

Related content

More Information              News              Social Media              Video              Recommended



                Click one of the above tabs to view related content.