Fabrication and Surface Modification of PES-Based Thin-Film Nanofiltration Membranes Using Acrylic Acid/Carbon NanofibersforWater Treatment

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Arak University

2 Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Arak University, Postal Code 38156-8-8349, Arak Iran

10.22063/jipst.2025.3702.2341

Abstract

Hypothesis: Thin-film nanofiltration membranes based on polyether sulfone were prepared using acrylic acid and carbon nanofibers, and the effect of the coating layer on heavy metal separation and antifouling properties of the membrane was evaluated
Methods: Thin film nanofiltration membranes were prepared using dip-coating technique. The properties of the pristine and modified membranes were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis. Also, by the Taguchi experimental design algorithm, the effect of the coating layer on the physical and chemical properties of the membranes such as pore size membrane hydrophilicity, and their performance in terms of pure water flux, sodium sulfate rejection and flux, and heavy metal removal efficiency were investigated.
Findings: The results revealed that the modified membrane with 2.5% acrylic acid 0.5% carbon nanofiber, and 3 h of reaction time exhibited higher hydrophilicity and larger pore size than other membranes. SEM images of the modified membranes revealed that appropriate amounts of surface modification parameters led to the formation of a polyacrylic acid layer with suitable density and desirable dispersion of nanoparticles and no agglomeration in the optimized membrane structure. The results indicated a significant improvement in the permeation flux of heavy metal solutions through the optimized membrane compared to the pristine membrane. Additionally the flux reduction in the optimized membrane was 16.1% less than that of the unmodified sample, demonstrating the suitable resistance of the modified membrane to fouling. The removal percentage of Cu, Cr and Pb was 58.9%, 52.0%, and 62.3% for the neat membrane, whereas it was 82.3%, 80.0%, and 89.5% for the superior modified membrane, respectively. The results indicated that the modified membrane performed better in removing lead than copper and chromium.

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Iranian Journal of Polymer Science and Technology
Volume 37, Issue 3 - Serial Number 191
September and October 2024

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