Temperature difference-enhanced salinity gradient energy conversion enabled by thermostable hydrogel membrane with anti-swelling property

Coupling low-grade heat(LGH)with salinity gradient is an effective approach to increase the efficiency of the nanofluidic-membrane-based power generator.However,it is a challenge to fabricate membranes with high charge density that ensures ion permselectivity,while maintaining chemical and mechanical stability in this composite environment.Here,we develop a bis[2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]phosphate(BMAP)hydrogel membrane with good thermal stability and anti-swelling property through self-crosslinking of the selected monomer.By taking advantage of negative space charge and three-dimensional(3D)interconnected nanochannels,salinity gradient energy conversion efficiency is substantially enhanced by temperature difference.Theoretical and experimental results verify that LGH can largely weaken the concentration polarization,promoting transmembrane ion transport.As a result,such a hydrogel membrane delivers high-performance energy conversion with a power density of 11.53 W·m^(−2)under a negative temperature difference(NTD),showing a 193%increase compared with that without NTD.

Responsive Hybrid Poly(vinyl alcohol)Hydrogel Membranes with Embedded Microgels as Valves

The research and application of responsive materials have long been hampered by their complicated designs and tedious construction processes.Besides,many current responsive materials show retard or weak responsiveness.In this study,responsive hybrid poly(vinyl alcohol)hydrogel membranes with embedded poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-acrylic acid)microgels as valves were constructed by simple mixing and subsequent freezing-thawing process.In the structure of the membranes,the matrix poly(vinyl alcohol)chains thread through and entangle with the microgels,and the microgels are firmly constrained within the hybrid hydrogel network.The fast and sharp temperature responsiveness of the embedded microgels was largely retained and endowed the hydrogel membrane with excellent temperature and pH responsiveness.Moreover,the hydrogel membrane showed excellent fatigue resistance in both temperature and pH-responsive flux examination.This study presented the great potential of these hybrid hydrogel membranes in biomedical applications and provided a new strategy for the future design and construction of responsive biomaterials.

Oxalic acid cross-linked sodium alginate and carboxymethyl chitosan hydrogel membrane for separation of dye/NaCl at high NaCl concentration

Dye desalination is a challenge in the treatment of textile wastewater with high salt concentration. It is imperative to develop salt resistance membrane that is from sustainable materials to effectively treat dye/salt mixtures. And most polymer membrane materials are non-renewable petrochemical resources.In this paper, a green hydrogel membrane(CMCS-OA-Na Alg) was prepared by non-metallic ions of oxalic acid(OA) cross-linking of two natural macromolecules of sodium alginate(Na Alg) and carboxymethyl chitosan(CMCS). The membrane showed excellent anti-swelling at high salt concentration(swelling rate less than 8.0% in 10.0 wt% Na Cl solution) and good anti-fouling performance. The membrane exhibited a rejection higher than 95.0% for dyes(bright blue, direct black, direct red, and Congo red) and lower than7.0% for Na Cl, which can achieve better dye/Na Cl separation performance. This study provides a promising membrane material for high salt textile wastewater treatment only using water and carbohydrates as raw materials without any organic solvents.

Preparation of wood-based hydrogel membranes for efficient purification of complex wastewater using a reconstitution strategy

To avoid resource wastage and secondary environmental pollution,recycling and reusing waste wood powder is still a great challenge.Moreover,the poor viscosity and irregular pore size of wood powder limit its practical application.This study,employed a green and convenient wood powder reconstitution strategy to achieve highly adhesive bonding and pore size control between wood powder particles,thus preparing a high-strength and super hydrophilic wood powder membrane.The wood powder fibers were partially dissolved and regenerated to create a reconstituted wood powder hydrogel membrane,using waste wood powder as the raw material.The wood powder reconstitution strategy offers advantages such as environmental friendliness,simplicity,cost-effectiveness,and strong universality.Furthermore,the materials exhibit excellent self-cleaning properties and superhydrophilicity.Driven by gravity,the membrane can purify oily wastewater and dyes.Additionally,the reconstitution strategy offers a new pathway for recycling wood powder.