Probing the potential of surface-engineered titanium filler membranes for produced water treatment

The treatment and reuse of produced water, which emerges with crude oil during extraction in oil and gas operations, reduces dependency on freshwater. The treated produced water can subsequently be used in water flooding activity for enhanced oil recovery, extending the life of the oilfield. Thin-film composite (TFC) membranes, in conjunction with forward osmosis (FO) technology, provide a promising approach for treating the produced water, offering both cost-effectiveness and energy efficiency. In this study, MIL-125(Ti)-NH 2 is used during an interfacial polymerization reaction, for fabricating titanium-based thin film nanocomposite (TFN) FO membrane. The effects of surface engineering, such as pore-forming agent addition, interfacial polymerization reaction, and filler inclusion, on the features of fabricated membranes, such as wettability, morphology, and surface roughness, were examined. The results show a significant reduction in contact angles (up to 33%) and an increase in surface roughness (by approximately 31%) after the monomer polymerization reaction, indicating that the formation of a selective layer resulted in higher hydrophilicity of the TFC/TFN membranes as well as good compatibility between polymer and fillers. Furthermore, the addition of titanium-based fillers improved FO membrane water flux by 240% and lowered the specific reverse salt flux due to the non-covalent bond among water molecules and -NH 2 group. Thus, this study provides the framework for future research by revealing the potential of titanium-based TFN membranes in treating oilfield produced water and reusing in water flooding activity for enhanced oil recovery applications. • Improved hydrophilic properties of TFC membrane via interfacial polymerization. • MIL-125(Ti)-NH 2 fillers created an extra channel for water diffusion in membrane. • Hydrophilic additive reduced water contact angle and transport resistance of membranes. • Membranes proved excellent for produced water treatment and recovery.