Contradiction between membrane fouling phenomenon and DLVO theory prediction in different oil-in-water emulsions

doi:10.16085/j.issn.1000-6613.2024-1328

Abstract

Abstract:

The contradiction between membrane fouling propensity and Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) theory by various emulsifiers were systematically investigated at the molecular level. It was indicated the electrical property and potential of emulsifiers had a significant impact on the stability of oil droplets. Under the same filtration time, the flux of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)-stabilized emulsion was higher than that of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), showing the less membrane fouling by CTAB. Besides, DLVO theory illustrated the opposite phenomenon that CTAB stabilized emulsion was easier to adsorb to membrane surface and caused fouling while SDS-emulsion needed to overcome a large energy barrier to cause fouling. Additionally, molecular simulation expounded the fouling mechanism resulted from the different adsorption energy between oil/emulsifier molecules and membrane. The larger interaction between polyether sulfone (PES) and CTAB contributed to the rapid adsorption, followed by that with Tween 80 and then SDS. It was also found that electrostatic energy of CTAB and SDS played an important role in total interaction effect while Van Der Waals force dominated the adsorption of PES-Tween. Therefore, emulsifiers especially for CTAB preferentially adsorbed on membrane surface and inner channels to cause demulsification and steric hindrance, which formed an isolation layer to resist oil and alleviate membrane fouling.

Key words: emulsifier, membrane fouling, Derjaguin-Landan-Verwey-Overbeek, molecular simulation, adsorption energy

摘要：

采用不同类型乳化剂稳定的含油污水对聚醚砜（PES）超滤膜进行污染机理研究，揭示了膜污染现象与Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek（DLVO）理论预测矛盾性的分子行为诱导机制。结果表明，乳化剂的电性及电位对油滴稳定性有较大影响。在相同过滤时间内，十六烷基三甲基溴化铵（CTAB）乳化液通量最高，十二烷基磺酸钠（SDS）乳化液通量最低，说明CTAB-乳化液产生的膜污染较轻，SDS-乳化液产生的膜污染较严重。DLVO理论预测结论与实验现象相反，CTAB-乳化液中油滴最易接近膜表面产生污染，而SDS-乳化液中的油滴需要克服较大的能垒才可产生膜污染。分子模拟结果说明CTAB与膜的吸附能最大，其次为吐温80（Tween 80），SDS最小，且乳化剂分子的吸附能均高于油分子。此外，CTAB和SDS的静电能在总吸附能中均占比较大，而Tween 80与膜的吸附则以范德华力为主导，离子型乳化剂因其带电特性与膜表面有着较强的静电作用。因此，乳化剂在包裹油分子靠近膜表面时，乳化剂分子较油分子优先吸附到膜表面及膜孔中，从而形成隔绝层，且吸附能越大的乳化剂作用越明显。油滴因乳化剂缺失产生的破乳效应及乳化剂吸附到膜孔中形成的位阻效应进一步隔绝油的附着，从而减轻膜污染。

关键词: 乳化剂, 膜污染, DLVO, 分子模拟, 吸附能

CLC Number:

X703

YANG Yan, LI Dansong. Contradiction between membrane fouling phenomenon and DLVO theory prediction in different oil-in-water emulsions[J]. Chemical Industry and Engineering Progress, 2025, 44(10): 6023-6031.

杨严, 李丹松. 乳化液膜污染现象与DLVO理论预测矛盾性解析[J]. 化工进展, 2025, 44(10): 6023-6031.

Figures/Tables 8

溶液	γ^LW/mN·m^-1	γ⁺/mN·m^-1	γ^-/mN·m^-1	γ^TOT/mN·m^-1
水	21.8	25.5	25.5	72.8
甘油	34	3.9	57.4	64
二碘甲烷	50.8	0	0	50.8

乳化液	γ^LW/mN·m^-1	γ⁺/mN·m^-1	γ^-/mN·m^-1	$G h 0 L W$ /mJ·m^-2	zeta电位/mV
CTAB	46.25	0.31	35.05	-9.77	65.38
Tween 80	44.74	1.86	27.35	-9.25	-27.44
SDS	42.07	1.81	10.50	-8.32	-57.38

乳化液	γ^LW/mN·m^-1	γ⁺/mN·m^-1	γ^-/mN·m^-1	$G h 0 L W$ /mJ·m^-2	zeta电位/mV
CTAB	46.25	0.31	35.05	-9.77	65.38
Tween 80	44.74	1.86	27.35	-9.25	-27.44
SDS	42.07	1.81	10.50	-8.32	-57.38

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