ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a comprehensive review on the latest development of thin film composite (TMC) membrane fabrication and modification in which both a microporous substrate and a top polyamide layer can be independently optimized to achieve desirable properties for the water separation process. It highlights inorganic nanofillers as an effective material to enhance membrane performance. The chapter discusses several surface modification approaches to impart membrane with low fouling propensity, including polyethylene glycol-based derivations, graphene oxide (GO) or GO and silver nanocomposite and surface patterning. The amino-poly (ethylene glycol) diglycidyl ether (PEGDE) modification protocol relies on the existence of reactive primary amine groups on the polyamide surface, to which PEGDE, an epoxy-terminated polyethylene glycol derivative, is grafted. Following interfacial polymerization between trimesoyl chloride and m-phenylenediamine over the polysulfone support and subsequent draining of excess TMC, the nascent polyamide layer was contacted with ethylene diamine.
