Toward an Understanding of the Role of Fabrication Conditions During Polymeric Membranes Modification: A Review of the Effect of Titanium, Aluminum, and Silica Nanoparticles on Performance

Polymeric membranes have proven to be an effective method for the treatment of contaminated waters. Many factors influence their performances including the operating parameters, fabrication process and conditions, and their modifications using different additives. Introduced as additives, nanoparticles are capable of enhancing the membrane performance via their intrinsic properties which include their morphology, core size, and chemical nature. Nevertheless, some common problems such as nanoparticle agglomeration or leaching and the formation of defective areas, occur during the membrane fabrication. These issues depend on several factors which were observed to influence the membrane morphology and structure and consequently influence the treatment effectiveness. Accordingly, different strategies were investigated to avoid these issues. In this review paper, the effects of three different nanoparticles namely Titanium, Aluminum, and Silica on the performance of the modified membranes devoted to the treatment of organic waste streams will be thoroughly investigated. In addition, major effects related to the fabrication conditions including various challenges encountered during the membrane manufacturing and the different strategies used to improve performance will be thoroughly discussed.