Towards non-toxic solvents for membrane preparation: a review

Literature Information

Publication Date 2014-07-03
DOI 10.1039/C4GC00613E
Impact Factor 10.182
Authors

A. Figoli, T. Marino, S. Simone, E. Di Nicolò, X.-M. Li, T. He, S. Tornaghi, E. Drioli


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Abstract

Solvents are used in every chemical process and affect its overall safety, environmental, and economic impact. Membrane processes have attracted increasing interest as sustainable alternatives to traditional technologies, being characterized by reduced energy consumption and use of chemicals. However, the most important membrane preparation techniques are often based on the use of toxic solvents, which reduces the benefit to the environment. Due to the influence of solvent properties such as viscosity, dielectric constant, polarity, and boiling point on the final features and the indispensable prerequisite of dissolving the selected polymer (at room or high temperature, depending on the technique), one of the most difficult but most interesting challenges for membrane scientists is replacing these solvents, such as N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMA), N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), and tetrahydrofuran (THF), with safer alternatives. In this review, the most relevant steps towards the use of non-toxic solvents in membrane preparation are reported, focusing particular attention on the non-solvent induced and temperature induced phase separation (NIPS and TIPS) techniques. Supercritical CO2 (ScCO2) and ionic liquids (ILs) are promising examples of benign solvents, and their use in membrane preparation will also be described. The total replacement of toxic diluents with greener alternatives still remains at the beginning stages. However, in several cases, membranes prepared using less/non-toxic solvents achieved performance comparable to those produced with classical toxic solvents. This review offers valid support for membrane scientists who wish to reduce the environmental impact of solvent use and increase membrane processes sustainability.

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Green Chemistry provides a unique forum for the publication of innovative research on the development of alternative green and sustainable technologies. The scope of Green Chemistry is based on, but not limited to, the definition proposed by Anastas and Warner (Green Chemistry: Theory and Practice, P T Anastas and J C Warner, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1998). Green chemistry is the utilisation of a set of principles that reduces or eliminates the use or generation of hazardous substances in the design, manufacture and application of chemical products. Green Chemistry is at the frontiers of this continuously-evolving interdisciplinary science and publishes research that attempts to reduce the environmental impact of the chemical enterprise by developing a technology base that is inherently non-toxic to living things and the environment. Submissions on all aspects of research relating to the endeavour are welcome. The journal publishes original and significant cutting-edge research that is likely to be of wide general appeal. To be published, work must present a significant advance in green chemistry. Papers must contain a comparison with existing methods and demonstrate advantages over those methods before publication can be considered. For more information please see this Editorial. Coverage includes the following, but is not limited to: Design (e.g. biomimicry, design for degradation/recycling/reduced toxicity…) Reagents & Feedstocks (e.g. renewables, CO2, solvents, auxiliary agents, waste utilization…) Synthesis (e.g. organic, inorganic, synthetic biology…) Catalysis (e.g. homogeneous, heterogeneous, enzyme, whole cell…) Process (e.g. process design, intensification, separations, recycling, efficiency…) Energy (e.g. renewable energy, fuels, photovoltaics, fuel cells, energy storage, energy carriers…) Applications (e.g. electronics, dyes, consumer products, coatings, pharmaceuticals, preservatives, building materials, chemicals for industry/agriculture/mining…) Impact (e.g. safety, metrics, LCA, sustainability, (eco)toxicology…) Green chemistry is, by definition, a continuously-evolving frontier. Therefore, the inclusion of a particular material or technology does not, of itself, guarantee that a paper is suitable for the journal. To be suitable, the novel advance should have the potential for reduced environmental impact relative to the state of the art. Green Chemistry does not normally deal with research associated with 'end-of-pipe' or remediation issues.

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