{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,8]],"date-time":"2026-01-08T16:38:16Z","timestamp":1767890296776,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":54,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,6,26]],"date-time":"2020-06-26T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1593129600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"\u201cPrograma Operacional Regional de Lisboa, na componente FEDER\u201d and \u201cFunda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e Tecnologia, I.P.\u201d (FCT)","award":["PTDC\/EQU-EPQ\/29579\/2017"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["PTDC\/EQU-EPQ\/29579\/2017"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Membranes"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The performance of anion-exchange membranes (AEMs) in Reverse Electrodialysis is hampered by both presence of multivalent ions and fouling phenomena, thus leading to reduced net power density. Therefore, we propose a monolayer surface modification procedure to functionalize Ralex-AEMs with poly(acrylic) acid (PAA) in order to (i) render a monovalent permselectivity, and (ii) minimize organic fouling. Membrane surface modification was carried out by putting heterogeneous AEMs in contact with a PAA-based aqueous solution for 24 h. The resulting modified membranes were firstly characterized by contact angle, water uptake, ion exchange capacity, fixed charge density, and swelling degree measurements, whereas their electrochemical responses were evaluated through cyclic voltammetry. Besides, their membrane electro-resistance was also studied via electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analyses. Finally, membrane permselectivity and fouling behavior in the presence of humic acid were evaluated through mass transport experiments using model NaCl containing solutions. The use of modified PAA-AEMs resulted in a significantly enhanced monovalent permselectivity (sulfate rejection improved by &gt;35%) and membrane hydrophilicity (contact angle decreased by &gt;15%) in comparison with the behavior of unmodified Ralex-AEMs, without compromising the membrane electro-resistance after modification, thus demonstrating the technical feasibility of the proposed membrane modification procedure. This study may therefore provide a feasible way for achieving an improved Reverse Electrodialysis process efficiency.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/membranes10060134","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,6,29]],"date-time":"2020-06-29T05:28:56Z","timestamp":1593408536000},"page":"134","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":24,"title":["Characterization of Poly(Acrylic) Acid-Modified Heterogenous Anion Exchange Membranes with Improved Monovalent Permselectivity for RED"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"10","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3240-5400","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ivan","family":"Merino-Garcia","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Associated Laboratory for Green Chemistry\u2014Clean Technologies and Processes (LAQV), REQUIMTE, Chemistry Department, FCT, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3568-4030","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Francis","family":"Kotoka","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Associated Laboratory for Green Chemistry\u2014Clean Technologies and Processes (LAQV), REQUIMTE, Chemistry Department, FCT, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Carla A.M.","family":"Portugal","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Associated Laboratory for Green Chemistry\u2014Clean Technologies and Processes (LAQV), REQUIMTE, Chemistry Department, FCT, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Jo\u00e3o G.","family":"Crespo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Associated Laboratory for Green Chemistry\u2014Clean Technologies and Processes (LAQV), REQUIMTE, Chemistry Department, FCT, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9446-0897","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Svetlozar","family":"Velizarov","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Associated Laboratory for Green Chemistry\u2014Clean Technologies and Processes (LAQV), REQUIMTE, Chemistry Department, FCT, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,6,26]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"114183","DOI":"10.1016\/j.desal.2019.114183","article-title":"On operation of reverse electrodialysis (RED) and membrane capacitive deionisation (MCDI) with natural saline streams: A critical review","volume":"476","author":"Pawlowski","year":"2020","journal-title":"Desalination"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"68","DOI":"10.1016\/j.memsci.2018.09.035","article-title":"Monovalent-anion selective and antifouling polyelectrolytes multilayer anion exchange membrane for reverse electrodialysis","volume":"567","author":"Gao","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. 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