Andrew C Ford

US Patent:

20170056837, Mar 2, 2017

Filed:

Aug 31, 2015

Appl. No.:

14/841546

Inventors:

- Seoul, KR
- El Segundo CA, US
Andrew FORD - Hollywood CA, US
Amit SANKHE - Vista CA, US
Christopher KURTH - Eden Prairie MN, US
Robert BURK - Seattle WA, US
Jin Kuk LEE - Daejeon, KR
Jeff KOEHLER - Pasadena CA, US
Sung Yeol CHOI - Daejeon, KR
Youngsik EOM - Daejeon, KR
Hyungsam CHOI - Daejeon, KR

International Classification:

B01D 69/12
B01D 63/10
B01D 71/60

Abstract:

Provided is an interfacial polymerization process for preparation of a highly permeable thin film composite membrane, which can be used for nanofiltration, forward osmosis, or reverse osmosis, particularly for use with brackish water or seawater. The process includes contacting a porous support membrane with an aqueous phase containing a polyamine to form a coated support membrane, and applying an organic phase containing a polyfunctional acid halide to the coated support membrane to interfacially polymerize the polyamine and the polyfunctional acid halide to form a discrimination layer of a thin film composite membrane, where the aqueous and/or organic phases include a flux-enhancing additive and a boron rejection-enhancing additive that includes a biguanide compound, dicarbonate compound, pentathiodicarbonate compound, or salts thereof. Also provided are the membranes prepared by the methods and reverse osmosis modules containing the membranes.