Strategies for the development of antifouling membranes for liquid filtration: A review

Membrane technology has been embraced as the best technology for process separation and purification by virtue of its economic and environmental advantages. The performance of membrane technology is assessed by its selectivity and hydraulic output, which are challenged by membrane fouling. Membrane fouling encourages hydraulic resistance and retarded the selectivity of the membrane. Therefore, membrane fouling is the prime downside of membrane technology and it can be modulated by developing the membrane surface chemistry and/or the filtration system hydrodynamics. Membrane surface chemistry and filtration system hydrodynamics development for membrane fouling control have been intensively explored and many concepts are emerging day by day. Therefore, its paramount to review the performance of the emerging concepts and develop a roadmap for exploration of new concepts. This manuscript reviews the recent advances in membrane surface chemistry and filtration system hydrodynamics development for membrane fouling control in liquid filtration. The focus is mainly on the mechanisms and limitations of membrane surface chemistry and filtration system hydrodynamics development for membrane fouling mitigation. Moreover, the manuscript also outlined the future perspectives of membrane surface chemistry and filtration system hydrodynamics development for optimum membrane fouling control.