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Polymers
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Innovative Polymers and Technology for Membrane Fabrication
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Innovative Polymers and Technology for Membrane Fabrication

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Membranes and Films".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 797

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Simona Căprărescu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnologies, National University of Science and Technology Politehnica Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
Interests: chemical modifications of polymers; preparation of polymeric membranes; characterization methods; application of polymeric membranes in different membrane processes; polymeric membranes in water and wastewater treatment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Natural (cellulose, chitosan, alginate and many more) and synthetic polymers (polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyacrylonitrile, polyvinylchloride, polyurethanes and many more) are a very important class of materials that are widely applied for different polymeric membranes. The wide range of properties accessible in polymeric materials and polymer solutions, they play an essential role in the preparation of different membranes that have become one of the most important materials in the membrane processes. 
The aim of this Special Issue is focus on fabrication, characterization and applications of the various polymers. The fabrication of polymers (innovative, novel, economic and environmental sustainability) and polymer-based membranes as advanced, multifunctional materials in the membrane processes is also a fundamental concept in this Special Issue.

As Guest Editor, it is my pleasure to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue with your recent results in this field of research. Full-length papers, research articles, communications and reviews on the topics of interest are welcome for this Special Issue. Topics may include, but are not limited to:

  • Innovative polymers and their impact on polymer-based membranes performance properties;
  • Physical and chemical modifications of polymers and their effects regarding the performance of the polymeric membranes;
  • Characterization of polymers and polymer-based membranes using various research techniques;
  • Polymers for membrane processes (e.g., electrodialysis, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, microfiltration, reverse osmosis).

Dr. Simona Căprărescu
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • innovative polymers
  • performance properties
  • polymeric membranes
  • characterization
  • membrane processes
  • bio-gradable materials
  • regeneration and sustainability
  • environmental protection

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 2796 KiB  
Article
Incorporation of Ag-ZnO Nanoparticles into PVDF Membrane Formulation to Enhance Dye Retention, Permeability, and Antibacterial Properties
by Baha Chamam, Roua Ben Dassi, Jraba Abderraouf, Jean Pierre Mericq, Catherine Faur, Ismail Trabelsi, Lassaad El Mir and Marc Heran
Polymers 2025, 17(9), 1269; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17091269 - 6 May 2025
Viewed by 224
Abstract
Ultrafiltration is essential for wastewater treatment, but it faces challenges such as selectivity, control, and fouling reduction. Incorporating nanoparticles into membranes enhances retention, boosts permeability, and limits fouling, improving overall performance. This study explores the properties of PVDF/Ag-ZnO composite membranes, highlighting the influence [...] Read more.
Ultrafiltration is essential for wastewater treatment, but it faces challenges such as selectivity, control, and fouling reduction. Incorporating nanoparticles into membranes enhances retention, boosts permeability, and limits fouling, improving overall performance. This study explores the properties of PVDF/Ag-ZnO composite membranes, highlighting the influence of silver-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles on membrane structure, performance, and antimicrobial effect. The non-solvent-induced phase separation (NIPS) method successfully led to the preparation of composite membranes; this method used different doses of silver-doped zinc oxide (Ag-ZnO) nanoparticles with Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and water contact angle measurements were used to validate the influence of nanoparticles on the composite membrane (PVDF/Ag-ZnO) structure. Conversely, morphology (porosity, surface rigorosity), hydrophilicity, and permeability were analyzed through contact angle, image analysis, and flux measurement. In addition, the membranes were tested for antimicrobial activity against E. coli. Membrane performance shows that the incorporation of 20% w/w Ag-ZnO resulted in improved water permeability, which was about 2.73 times higher than that of a pure PVDF membrane (192.2 L·m−2·h−1·bar−1). The membrane porosity showed a linear increase with the number of NPs. The resultant asymmetric membrane was altered to increase the number of pores on the top surface by 61% and the cross-sectional pore surface by 663%. Furthermore, a high antibacterial activity of Ag-ZnO 20% was shown. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Polymers and Technology for Membrane Fabrication)
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30 pages, 7964 KiB  
Article
Fabrication and Performance of PVAc-Incorporated Porous Self-Standing Zeolite-Based Geopolymer Membranes for Lead (Pb(II)) Removal in Water Treatment
by Samar Amari, Mariam Darestani, Graeme Millar and Bob Boshrouyeh
Polymers 2025, 17(9), 1155; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym17091155 - 24 Apr 2025
Viewed by 363
Abstract
This study explores the fabrication, structural characteristics, and performance of an innovative porous geopolymer membrane made from waste natural zeolite powder for Pb(II) removal, with potential applications in wastewater treatment. A hybrid geopolymer membrane incorporating polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) (10, 20, and 30 wt.%) [...] Read more.
This study explores the fabrication, structural characteristics, and performance of an innovative porous geopolymer membrane made from waste natural zeolite powder for Pb(II) removal, with potential applications in wastewater treatment. A hybrid geopolymer membrane incorporating polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) (10, 20, and 30 wt.%) was synthesized and thermally treated at 300 °C to achieve a controlled porous architecture. Characterization techniques, including Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), revealed the disappearance of characteristic C=O and C-H stretching bands (~1730 cm−1 and ~2900 cm−1, respectively), confirming the full degradation of PVAc. Thermogravimetric analysis (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) indicated a total mass loss of approximately 14.5% for the sample with PVAc 20 wt.%, corresponding to PVAc decomposition and water loss. Energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) elemental mapping showed the absence of carbon residues post-annealing, further validating complete PVAc removal. X-ray diffraction (XRD) provided insight into the crystalline phases of the raw zeolite and geopolymer structure. Once PVAc removal was confirmed, the second phase of characterization assessed the membrane’s mechanical properties and filtration performance. The thermally treated membrane, with a thickness of 2.27 mm, exhibited enhanced mechanical properties, measured with a nano-indenter, showing a hardness of 1.8 GPa and an elastic modulus of 46.7 GPa, indicating improved structural integrity. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed a well-defined porous network. Filtration performance was evaluated using a laboratory-scale dead-end setup for Pb(II) removal. The optimal PVAc concentration was determined to be 20 wt.%, resulting in a permeation rate of 78.5 L/(m2·h) and an 87% rejection rate at an initial Pb(II) concentration of 50 ppm. With increasing Pb(II) concentrations, the flux rates declined across all membranes, while maximum rejection was achieved at 200 ppm. FTIR and EDS analyses confirmed Pb(II) adsorption onto the zeolite-based geopolymer matrix, with elemental mapping showing a uniform Pb(II) distribution across the membrane surface. The next step is to evaluate the membrane’s performance in a multi-cation water treatment environment, assessing the sorption kinetics and its selectivity and efficiency in removing various heavy metal contaminants from complex wastewater systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Polymers and Technology for Membrane Fabrication)
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