Recent Advances of Thin Film Nanocomposite Membranes for Efficient Pervaporation Desalination

Abstract

Pervaporation (PV) desalination employing thin-film nanocomposite (TFN) membranes has emerged as a promising solution to global water scarcity, leveraging exceptional salt rejection, broad salinity tolerance, and superior water recovery efficiency. Membrane performance is governed by the structural architecture and chemical composition of key selective layers, gutter layers, and support layers, which collectively regulate water transport pathways through nanoengineered channels. In this review, we critically discuss fundamental mechanisms underpinning PV desalination, operational parameters, process configurations, and recent advancements for TFN membranes. Special emphasis is placed on material-structure-property relationships, particularly the nanomaterials in selective layers, demonstrating potential to address the trade-off between water flux and salt rejection. Furthermore, we summarize the current status and challenges of TFN membranes in PV desalination, including fouling and scalable fabrication. Thus, the future directions can be focused on rational membrane design, scalable fabrication, and practical evaluation of desalination performance. Consequently, high-performance TFN membranes emerges as a critical pathway toward sustainable, high-efficiency PV desalination systems.