Nanobubble-enabled wetting control in membrane distillation via interfacial modulation

Mingyi Jia; Jianhao Qian; Muhammad Usman Farid; Jehad A. Kharraz; Shadi W. Hasan; Samir Kumar Khanal; Alicia Kyoungjin An

doi:10.1016/j.cej.2025.172026

Nanobubble-enabled wetting control in membrane distillation via interfacial modulation

Mingyi Jia
, Jianhao Qian
, Muhammad Usman Farid^*
, Jehad A. Kharraz
, Shadi W. Hasan
, Samir Kumar Khanal
, Alicia Kyoungjin An^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Energy and Environment

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Surfactant-induced membrane wetting critically undermines membrane distillation (MD), yet its nanoscale origins remain elusive. Here, we investigate the role of nanobubbles (NBs) as dynamic interfacial modulators that disrupt wetting pathways at the membrane–liquid interface. By coupling real-time impedance spectroscopy with molecular dynamics simulations and contact angle kinetics, we demonstrate that NBs form metastable gaseous domains on hydrophobic membranes, physically and chemically impeding the adsorption of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and pore intrusion. NB pretreatment extends wetting resistance by up to 3×, while NB-mediated cleaning re-establishes interfacial exclusion zones, sustaining salt rejection under surfactant stress. Our findings reveal a dual-function mechanism in which NBs modulate interfacial thermodynamics and surfactant transport, offering a scalable, non-invasive paradigm for engineering wetting-resilient MD systems. © 2025 Elsevier B.V.

Original language	English
Article number	172026
Journal	Chemical Engineering Journal
Volume	527
Online published	19 Dec 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2025.172026
Publication status	Published - 1 Jan 2026

Funding

This work was financially supported by Environment and Conservation Fund (ECF 2024-188) and from the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China through the general research fund (GRF Project No. 11209421 and 11218122) and by a fellowship award (RFS2223-1S04). The author(s) also acknowledge the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (UHM) for hosting part of this research. Samir Kumar Khanal acknowledges that the work was carried out during his tenure at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (UHM) and that he lists affiliations with two institutions.

Research Keywords

Impedance spectroscopy
Membrane distillation
Membrane wetting
Molecular dynamics simulation
Nanobubbles

RGC Funding Information

RGC-funded

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10.1016/j.cej.2025.172026

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Cite this

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title = "Nanobubble-enabled wetting control in membrane distillation via interfacial modulation",

abstract = "Surfactant-induced membrane wetting critically undermines membrane distillation (MD), yet its nanoscale origins remain elusive. Here, we investigate the role of nanobubbles (NBs) as dynamic interfacial modulators that disrupt wetting pathways at the membrane–liquid interface. By coupling real-time impedance spectroscopy with molecular dynamics simulations and contact angle kinetics, we demonstrate that NBs form metastable gaseous domains on hydrophobic membranes, physically and chemically impeding the adsorption of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and pore intrusion. NB pretreatment extends wetting resistance by up to 3×, while NB-mediated cleaning re-establishes interfacial exclusion zones, sustaining salt rejection under surfactant stress. Our findings reveal a dual-function mechanism in which NBs modulate interfacial thermodynamics and surfactant transport, offering a scalable, non-invasive paradigm for engineering wetting-resilient MD systems. {\textcopyright} 2025 Elsevier B.V.",

keywords = "Impedance spectroscopy, Membrane distillation, Membrane wetting, Molecular dynamics simulation, Nanobubbles",

author = "Mingyi Jia and Jianhao Qian and Farid, \{Muhammad Usman\} and Kharraz, \{Jehad A.\} and Hasan, \{Shadi W.\} and Khanal, \{Samir Kumar\} and An, \{Alicia Kyoungjin\}",

year = "2026",

month = jan,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.cej.2025.172026",

language = "English",

volume = "527",

journal = "Chemical Engineering Journal",

issn = "1385-8947",

publisher = "Elsevier B.V.",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Nanobubble-enabled wetting control in membrane distillation via interfacial modulation

AU - Jia, Mingyi

AU - Qian, Jianhao

AU - Farid, Muhammad Usman

AU - Kharraz, Jehad A.

AU - Hasan, Shadi W.

AU - Khanal, Samir Kumar

AU - An, Alicia Kyoungjin

PY - 2026/1/1

Y1 - 2026/1/1

N2 - Surfactant-induced membrane wetting critically undermines membrane distillation (MD), yet its nanoscale origins remain elusive. Here, we investigate the role of nanobubbles (NBs) as dynamic interfacial modulators that disrupt wetting pathways at the membrane–liquid interface. By coupling real-time impedance spectroscopy with molecular dynamics simulations and contact angle kinetics, we demonstrate that NBs form metastable gaseous domains on hydrophobic membranes, physically and chemically impeding the adsorption of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and pore intrusion. NB pretreatment extends wetting resistance by up to 3×, while NB-mediated cleaning re-establishes interfacial exclusion zones, sustaining salt rejection under surfactant stress. Our findings reveal a dual-function mechanism in which NBs modulate interfacial thermodynamics and surfactant transport, offering a scalable, non-invasive paradigm for engineering wetting-resilient MD systems. © 2025 Elsevier B.V.

AB - Surfactant-induced membrane wetting critically undermines membrane distillation (MD), yet its nanoscale origins remain elusive. Here, we investigate the role of nanobubbles (NBs) as dynamic interfacial modulators that disrupt wetting pathways at the membrane–liquid interface. By coupling real-time impedance spectroscopy with molecular dynamics simulations and contact angle kinetics, we demonstrate that NBs form metastable gaseous domains on hydrophobic membranes, physically and chemically impeding the adsorption of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and pore intrusion. NB pretreatment extends wetting resistance by up to 3×, while NB-mediated cleaning re-establishes interfacial exclusion zones, sustaining salt rejection under surfactant stress. Our findings reveal a dual-function mechanism in which NBs modulate interfacial thermodynamics and surfactant transport, offering a scalable, non-invasive paradigm for engineering wetting-resilient MD systems. © 2025 Elsevier B.V.

KW - Impedance spectroscopy

KW - Membrane distillation

KW - Membrane wetting

KW - Molecular dynamics simulation

KW - Nanobubbles

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105025549553

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105025549553#tab=impact

U2 - 10.1016/j.cej.2025.172026

DO - 10.1016/j.cej.2025.172026

M3 - RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal

SN - 1385-8947

VL - 527

JO - Chemical Engineering Journal

JF - Chemical Engineering Journal

M1 - 172026

ER -

Nanobubble-enabled wetting control in membrane distillation via interfacial modulation

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Research Keywords

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GRF: Omniphobic Nanofibrous Membrane with Bioi-nspired Nanoflower-on-nanoneedle Double Re-entrant Structure for Enhanced Performance in Membrane Distillation

RFS: Enhancing Membrane Distillation's Potential for Water Reuse and Zero Liquid Discharge: An Energy-efficient and Hypersaline-stable Membrane

GRF: Facile Fabrication of A Bioinspired Omniphobic-Slippery Membrane for Robust Membrane Distillation with Real Time Monitoring for Wetting, Fouling, and Scaling

Cite this

Nanobubble-enabled wetting control in membrane distillation via interfacial modulation

Abstract

Funding

Research Keywords

RGC Funding Information

Access Output

Other Access Options

Permanent Link

Other Files and Links

Fingerprint

Projects

GRF: Omniphobic Nanofibrous Membrane with Bioi-nspired Nanoflower-on-nanoneedle Double Re-entrant Structure for Enhanced Performance in Membrane Distillation

RFS: Enhancing Membrane Distillation's Potential for Water Reuse and Zero Liquid Discharge: An Energy-efficient and Hypersaline-stable Membrane

GRF: Facile Fabrication of A Bioinspired Omniphobic-Slippery Membrane for Robust Membrane Distillation with Real Time Monitoring for Wetting, Fouling, and Scaling

Cite this