Advances and challenges in tailoring antibacterial polyamide thin film composite membranes for water treatment and desalination: A critical review

Thin film composite (TFC) polyamide membranes have been predominantly utilized in water treatment and desalination and play a significant role in the separation processes. However, the occurrence of fouling, especially biofouling, has a detrimental effect on the efficiency of the membrane. The introduction of nanostructures and other surface modification strategies has paved the way for developing antibacterial TFC membranes, aiming to control and mitigate biofouling to achieve a rational design for practical applications. This comprehensive review introduces and discusses novel antibacterial TFC membranes, including their structure, composition, and performance. Additionally, particular attention is given to understanding the antibacterial mechanism of nanomaterials. To this end, various emerging and prevalent antibacterial nanomaterials are introduced, and their role in the fabrication of TFC membranes is overviewed. Moreover, versatile modification strategies are outlined to impart antibacterial activity into TFC membranes. Finally, the review proposes current challenges and prospects of antibacterial TFC membranes, aiming to provide valuable insights for developing advanced TFC membranes with optimal resistance against biofouling and improved separation performance. This critical review serves as a fundamental guide for designing strategies that surpass the current limitations of TFC membranes' antibacterial agents and nanomaterials, thereby mitigating the tendency of biofouling through tailored membrane surface properties.