Abstract
Organic solvents commonly used in commercial polysulfone membrane fabrication via nonsolvent induced phase separation are becoming increasingly restricted, leading to the emergence of eco-friendly solvents as alternatives. However, investigation into solvent synthesis is needed to determine if upstream impacts counterbalance their eco-friendly properties. Additionally, the life cycle impacts of membrane fabrication have been limited to batch scale techniques. In this study, a life cycle assessment (LCA) was performed to compare the global environmental and health impacts of fabricating polysulfone (PSf) membranes derived from the eco-friendly solvents Rhodiasolv® PolarClean and γ-valerolactone (GVL) using lab-scale doctor blade extrusion (DBE) and slot die coating (SDC). SDC, typically used for manufacturing uniform thin films on roll-to-roll systems, has been demonstrated to also be a scalable fabrication technique for PSf membranes. The impacts from using eco-friendly solvents were also compared with the conventional solvents dimethylacetamide (DMAc) and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP).
Bio
Isabel Escobar is the Chellgren Chair Endowed Professor at the University of Kentucky. She teaches in the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, and she is the Director of the Chellgren Center for Undergraduate Student Excellence. She holds a Ph.D., an M.S. and a B.S. degrees in Environmental Engineering from the University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, where she was an EPA STAR Fellow. Escobar joined the University of Kentucky in August of 2015, after spending fifteen years at The University of Toledo. In 2009, Isabel Escobar became the Associate Editor of Environmental Progress and Sustainable Energy Journal, a quarterly publication of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. In 2011, she received the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) Separations Division FRI/John G. Kunesh Award. In May of 2023, the North American Membrane Society (NAMS) made her a Fellow of the Society both for her commitment to the Society as well as for her contributions to membrane science and technology. At the 2024 AIChE Annual Meeting, she received the Women In Chemical Engineering (WIC) Mentorship Excellence Award. Dr. Escobar has 20+ years of experience in fabricating and scaling tailor-made membranes for difficult separations. She has published over 100+ articles in peer-reviewed journals/book chapters, has edited two books, and has made over 200 presentations at national/international conferences with >$20M grants to design novel membrane materials for difficult applications and fouling control.