Lateral Flow Nitrocellulose Membrane For Diagnostic Kit Application: Synthesis, Characterization And Performance Evaluation

Lateral flow nitrocellulose (NC) membrane is one of the main requirements in the biomedical field due to its excellent binding capacity, high wetting properties and low background staining. However, there are still many challenges in the method of membrane fabrication in order to synthesise and control the membrane morphologies to fulfil the whole range of the required immunoassay applications, which is the main focus of this research. In this research, lateral flow NC membrane was successfully fabricated via dry phase inversion

Manipulating membrane hydrophobicity by integrating polythylene-coated fume silica in PVDF membrane

Membrane gas absorption (MGA) as an emerging technology exhibits superior advantages in comparison to conventional carbon dioxide (CO2) absorption processes. However, the decrease in membrane flux, induced by membrane wetting is a significant issue to be pondered upon. Thus, fabrication of an antiwetting composite membrane is essential to retain and sustain the MGA performance. In this work, silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) is first coated with hydrophobic low-density polyethylene (LDPE). Then, integrating LDPE-HMDS/SiNPs fillers into the polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) matrix to increase its hydrophobicity. The incorporation of LDPE-coated silica into PVDF polymer enhanced the contact angle values from 71.8° to 111.8°, indicates the improvement of membrane anti-wetting ability. Despite the similar finger-like layer laid on top of the sponge-like structure for pristine and composite membranes, the incorporation of LDPE-HMDS/SiNPs has reduced in the length ratio of finger-like to sponge-like layer. The changed in the membrane morphology induced higher membrane hydrophobicity which prevent membrane from getting wet easily especially in long term of operation. In addition, EDX surface mapping and lining profiles clearly proved that the LDPE-HMDS/SiNPs were distributed evenly in the composite membranes indicates the good interfacial compatibility between PVDF polymer and LDPE-coated silica. In term of CO2 absorption flux, the embedment of LDPE-HMDS/SiNPs in PVDF polymer matrix demonstrated 2.4x10-3 mol/m2.s which was 2 times higher than that of the pristine membrane. This means the incorporation of LDPE-HMDS/SiNPs into the PVDF membrane has still played a pivotal role in overcoming membrane wetting drawbacks when in contact with the liquid absorbents

Advances in Liquid Absorbents for CO2 Capture: A Review

The emission of greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide (CO2) has been a major concern worldwide for several years now, as it causes global warming. Even though various CO2 capture technologies have been researched, liquid absorption is widely considered a popular and effective method for the removal of CO2. For this reason, the choice of absorbent used to absorb the greenhouse gas is of vital importance. This article provides a brief overview of various liquid absorbents that have been investigated for this purpose, both in absorption columns and membrane contactor settings. Research journals currently available show that the usage of common amines and their combinations have been investigated, as well as several alternatives, additions and enhancements to existing liquid absorbents to improve the capture of CO2 and these are discussed in this article

Editorial notes for the ESPR special issue on Green Technology and Industrial Revolution 4.0 for a greener future

As the world faces unprecedented environmental challenges, it is increasingly clear that green technology is one of the most effective ways to protect our planet’s natural resources and address pressing environmental problems. Furthermore, the integration of sustainability with Industry Revolution 4.0 has the potential to revolutionize the entire environmental and chemical engineering industry. The theme of this special issue highlights the need to embed green technology and Industry 4.0 into sustainable development goals, with a particular emphasis on meeting the needs of the bottom billions in the community. Articles published in this issue offer valuable insights into how green technology can be harnessed to promote sustainable development, and how Industry 4.0 can be leveraged to drive innovation and change

Study of magnetic-responsive nanoparticle on the membrane surface as a membrane antifouling surface coating

This study aims to form a dynamic layer of the magnetic protective layer (f- Fe 3 O 4 /PDDA) on a surface of cellulose acetate (CA) membrane to prevent direct membrane-foulant interactions during an ultrafiltration process. To this end, Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles with an approximate size of 151.8 ± 8.2 nm were spin-coated on the surface of CA membrane to provide magneto-induced actuation motions of the magnetic nano-colloid in 3-dimensional space, with the help of an external magnetic field (magnetic rod). ATR-FTIR, QCM-D, and cross-flow filtration of this magnetic-responsive membrane were investigated to determine its influences on surface fouling by humic acid solutions. In fact, ATR-FTIR and QCM-D analyses have demonstrated a minimum membrane fouling for the magnetic-responsive membrane that operated under the influence of an oscillating magnetic field. Cross-flow filtration results showed a practically higher permeation (retaining 54% of the initial flux at its steady-flow) and humic acid rejection (more than 85%) in the presence of an oscillating magnetic field compared to its performance in the absence of an oscillating magnetic field. Findings from this magnetically responsive membranes could represent a new class of fouling-resistant membrane

Computational analysis of atomic binding energy for organosilicon-low-density polyethylene-coated silica embedded in polyvinylidene fluoride composite membrane for membrane gas absorption

In an effort to enhance the wetting resistance and chemical stability of membrane contactors, silica nanoparticles (SiNP) have been incorporated into polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane. These SiNP have been hydrophobically functionalized with three separate organosilicons (hexamethyldisilane, dimethyldichlorosilane, and polydimethylsiloxane) to produce TS-530, TS-610, and TS-720 SiNP. Then, they were coated with low-density polyethylene (LDPE) before adding them to the membrane casting dope. Using HyperChem, the molecular interaction between SiNP, organosilicons, and LDPE, as well as their aggregation tendency, was predicted using a semi-empirical computational approach (PM3). Both theoretical predictions and experimental results show that TS-610 and TS-720 SiNP have a high propensity to agglomerate, leading to the formation of composite membranes with large macrovoids. The HyperChem analysis, however, also indicates that LDPE/f-SiNP can resist chemical corrosion, and all composite membranes show positive binding energy interactions with amines. This enables the LDPE/f-SiNP membranes to perform better than the neat PVDF membrane with an adequate amine solution, and it remains hydrophobic after prolonged exposure