Nanofiltration Donnan exclusion

Nanofiltration membranes are negatively charged and reject multivalent anions at a much higher level than monovalent anions, an effect described as Donnan exclusion. Nanofiltration membranes have MgS04 retention and water permeability claims. 

Reverse osmosis models can be divided into three types irreversible thermodynamics models, such as Kedem-Katchalsky and Spiegler-Kedem models nonporous or homogeneous membrane models, such as the solution—diffusion (SD), solution—diffusion—imperfection, and extended solution—diffusion models and pore models, such as the finely porous, preferential sorption—capillary flow, and surface force—pore flow models. Charged RO membrane theories can be used to describe nanofiltration membranes, which are often negatively charged. Models such as Donnan exclusion and the... 

Nanofiltration Filtration for the treatment of water that removes suspended particles that are larger than about 0.001 pm (compare with Donnan exclusion, filtration, microfiltration, reverse osmosis, and ultrafiltration). 

The rejection of salts by nanofiltration membranes is more complicated and depends on both molecular size and Donnan exclusion effects caused by the acid groups attached to the polymer backbone. The phenomenon of Donnan exclusion is described in more detail in Chapter 10. In brief, charged groups tend to exclude ions of the same charge, particularly multivalent ions while being freely permeable to ions of the opposite charge, particularly multivalent ions. 

Many nanofiltration membranes follow these rules, but oftentimes the behavior is more complex. Nanofiltration membranes frequently combine both size and Donnan exclusion effects to minimize the rejection of all salts and solutes. These so-called low-pressure reverse osmosis membranes have very high rejections and high permeances of salt at low salt concentrations, but lose their selectivity at salt concentrations above 1000 or 2000 ppm salt in the feed water. The membranes are therefore used to remove low levels of salt from already relatively clean water. The membranes are usually operated at very low pressures of 50-200 psig. 

Figure 5.14 Salt rejection with neutral, anionic and cationic nanofiltration membranes showing the effect of Donnan exclusion and solute size on relative rejections. Data of Peters et al. [36]...

Ion implantation This study involves modifying the surface of nanofiltration membranes by ion implantation for increased salt rejection [55]. ions at two different intensities—lElO and 5E10 atoms/cm —were implanted on the surface of commercially available nanofiltration membranes to increase the negativity of the membrane surfaces. The objective was to increase the Donnan exclusion effect to improve salt rejection by the modified membranes. It was also noted that this modification did not significantly damage the semipermeable membrane surface. 

Nanofiltration <2.0 nm Pressure, 5—15 bar Donnan exclusion/ sorption-capillary flow... 

Seidel, A., Waypa, J.X Elimelech, M. (2001) Role of charge (Donnan) exclusion in removal of arsenic from water by a negatively charged porous nanofiltration membrane. Environmental Engineering Science, 18(2), 105-113. 

Ionic membranes are characterised by the presence of charged groups. Charge is, in addition to solubility, diffusivity, pore size and pore size distribution, another principle to achieve a separation. Charged membranes or ion-exchange membranes are not only employed in electrically driven processes such as electrodialysis and membrane electrolysis. There are a number of other processes that make use of the electrical aspects at the interface membrane-solution without the employment of an external electrical potential difference. Examples of these include reverse osmosis and nanofiltration (retention of ions), microfiltration and ultrafdtration (reduction of fouling phenomena), diffusion dialysis and Donnan dialysis (combination of Dorman exclusion and diffusion) and even in gas separation and pervaporation charged membranes can be applied... 

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